Dangan Wasteland
by Wardsley
Summary: The survivors of the Killing School Life emerge from Hope's Peak into a world not only destroyed by despair, but by nuclear war. With only a few weeks worth of supplies scavenged from the Academy, the group must now venture into a world where death is seemingly inevitable. Features the classes of all 3 games. Features lemons and major character death. All chapters edited 6/19/20
1. Chapter 1

The vault door in the main hall of Hope's Peak Academy creaked and moaned as it gave way to the outside. The teens behind the door were expecting to be blinded by the sun, which they hadn't seen for around a fortnight now. But the bright beams never arrived.

The path before them was barren; the ground was brown and no plants seemed to be growing, let alone blooming. Makoto stared in disbelief, as he began to slowly trace the path. The bag on his back, despite his short time wearing it, was already making his shoulders ache, and he visibly winced as he rolled the strap on his left shoulder. ''Perfect, not even a few yards out of this g-g-godforsaken school and you're a-already struggling.'' Makoto turned to the timid yet harsh voice's owner, Toko Fukawa. ''I'm okay, just wasn't expecting this to be so heavy is all.'' Toko seemed content with that answer, and chose to turn her attention to the Academy building that now loomed behind them. ''Hmph, seems a little more worn than I would've expected, even with atomic blasts,'' Byakuya mumbled almost to himself, pulling on the rope in his hands. ''Though I suppose we would be dead had we not been in the building, so we at least have something to thank our little mastermind for.'' The group looked about each other anxiously and silently for a moment, not knowing whether to agree or disagree. ''Would it have been better to die with everyone in the blasts all at once, or-'' Hina paused, a look of dejection on her face, ''- I-I don't know, watch them die in front of us?'' Kyoko and Hiro, who had been silent since leaving the school continued as such, leaving the rest of the group to fall silent as well. Makoto turned face and gave his signature grin to his peers, before motioning for them to follow him out of the seemingly invincible gates to the school.

It took some time to reach the gates (had the walk from the gate to class really been _that_ long?). ''You okay with her, Byakuya?'' Makoto asked, hoping to at least reignite some conversation after several minutes a silence. ''She hasn't tried to resist yet, so I assume she's accepted her fate.'' He returned, almost jovially. He had her hands bound in rope, the end of which was in his right hand, which gripped it as if his life depended on it. It was Enoshima after all, so his life may well have depended on it. ''She hasn't _yet_?'' Kyoko inquired, turning back to see the subject in question. Junko Enoshima. Why she had decided to give in to Makoto's demand to accompany them was beyond Kyoko's deductions, especially after what she had explained about the outside world, the nuclear holocaust she had caused. It was the reason Kyoko had insisted they take as much food and other useful supplies as possibly, though that was now a detriment to Makoto's shoulders. ''She's been real quiet too, almost as if we gagged her!'' Hiro laughed, waiting for a chorus of giggles that never came. ''We did gag her, Hiro.'' Kyoko said flatly. Hiro could only chuckle nervously at the rolled eyes of those around him, including a particularly disapproving look from Junko herself, who didn't seem the slightest bit amused with tape covering her mouth.

Makoto, stood in the empty road directly outside the gate, looking back and forth down the street. The only thing in his vision was cracked overgrown pavement and the remains of people and cars alike. He had never seen anything like this, not even in dystopian movies. He looked at the bodies that decorated the street and the ones that were up against the fence, with the occasional arm outstretched as if yearning for something. Had the corpses he saw before him been people who knew that Hope's Peak was a shelter, or had they simply waned to be inside for the blasts? The more important question was one that made him question his thoughts further. How would these people have known that the Academy was a glorified nuclear bunker? He looked amongst his classmates. Other that Kyoko, who was attempting to examine several of hundreds of bodies in the street, there was little in the way of movement towards them. Even Junko seemed slightly apprehensive, though Makoto couldn't tell if that was because or Byakuya's ever tightening grip on the rope, or the guilt of causing all these deaths; he eventually decided on the former as he was pulled out of his thoughts by Kyoko.

''Did you hear me, Makoto?'' She asked politely, but clearly. ''Sorry, I was kinda out of it, what was it?'' ''Most of these bodies here have bullet holes in their skulls or ribcage.'' Kyoko stated dryly, pointing to the row of bodies she had been searching. Makoto's eyes widened, before he felt them look to the ground in front of his feet. ''They were probably shot for trying to get into the Academy to avoid the bombings.'' He glanced at the same row of skeletons again, and opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off by Byakuya's prideful, yet evidently solemn voice.

''I know what you want to say. That 'they were still people who deserved to live' and all that nonsensical waffle.'' Makoto replaced his thoughts of rage for the murders with ones with a softer rage for Byakuya. ''How can you say that when these people did nothing wro-'' Makoto began quietly, but was once again cut off by the Ultimate Heir. ''I never said I believed it to be nonsensical.'' Byakuya began, surprising even Toko with the lack of hostility behind his words. ''I meant that from the perspective of those in charge of Hope's Peak, letting commoners mingle with Ultimates is jeopardizing the only thing the school still had. Why risk the lives of Ultimates, even the more useless ones,'' He said, eyeing Hiro, who could only respond with a dulled 'Hey!' before the Heir continued, '' by allowing irrational and potentially dangerous citizens into the Academy?'' The 7 students once again fell silent, no one having a sound argument to Byakuya's strong one. The Progeny pushed up his glasses before walking over to The Mastermind. He stopped just short of her, not tempted to stare at her cleavage as Hiro would've been. ''Do you know which way it is, Naegi?'' He asked almost in a snarl, as he kept his eyes firmly locked with Junko's. The shorter boy didn't respond, choosing to double his efforts looking up and down the road. Byakuya sighed, before ripping the tape from Junko's mouth, who acted as if he removed it as delicately as possible. ''Talk, **Now.''** Byakuya demanded. Junko rolled her jaw, lifting her bound hands in the direction she was facing. ''That way, four eyes!'' She yelled triumphantly, as if ungagging her was a personal victory the Killing Game's survivors didn't quite yet realise. Byakuya placed the tape over her grinning mouth as soon as she's shut it. ''You heard the creepy lady,'' Hiro said confidently. ''Let's set sail for salvation!''


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello everyone! First of I'd like to apologise for the last chapter. I felt it would be strange to have a long chapter right of the bat, so I tried to ease readers in with a short insight. I realised that by doing that I left no context for the actual story, because I'm a novice idiot. All chapters going forward will be longer and hopefully better lol. Please remember that there will be things that didn't happen in the game/anime that are simply there for the story. I will give explanation for most of these soon enough when it works best for the fic, so for now, just use your imagination to fill in the gaps. Thank you for reading.**

 **WARNING- THIS CHAPTER WILL HAVE DARK THEMES**

They had made a poor choice leaving at the time of day they did, as by the time they gotten into their stride, it was beginning to get dark. As a result of this, it was also becoming quite cold, something that the group varied in their ability to handle. To make matters worse, it appeared to be Winter, or at the very least Autumn, due to the condensation building up on what remained of the glass in shattered store windows. Asahina insisted that she wasn't cold, but her bare legs had concerned Makoto to the extent that he forced leg warmers onto her, which she claimed she only accepted as they looked ''sporty.'' When Makoto looked at Kyoko with the same concern, she quickly returned with a look that warned him not to even think of trying on her. Byakuya and Toko both gave him the excuse that they would wait until they found a safe place to sleep, which Makoto was intent with. Hiro asked if they could find him at least a pair of fuzzy socks, as his toes were practically begging to get frostbite in sandals. Junko was practically blue and was shaking heavily, but Byakuya demanded they offer no help as she would be happy with the despair of freezing. On closer inspection, Makoto did notice the swirls on her eyes that he had seen when she attempted to end her own life.

They eventually reached what they recognised to be the outskirts of Tokyo. It had never really dawned on Makoto just how close Hope's Peak was to the megacity, which made him even more fearful that if there were any survivors of the desolation of the city, they would be deranged or angry enough to result to attacking them. He acknowledged that he himself was unusually quiet, though he was pleasantly surprised with the rest of his friends who seemed to at least exchange idle chit-chat or talk about the things they used to remember before they were destroyed. Makoto smiled inwardly, realising that the hope he had instilled within them would remain strong, even in the face of utter despair.

There seemed to be more plant life the further into the city they got, with most of the pavement being at least slightly mossed over or green. Did the buildings and skyscrapers provide enough covers from the blasts for life to grow? Not only was there more greenery, but a lot of the buildings were significantly more intact, giving the Ultimates a choice of where to spend the night. Byakuya practically made the choice for them. He spotted a bookstore with plenty of tables he claimed they could forge a barricade with, and after hours of walking, the group of students weren't willing to argue. The few who claimed that they would winter-proof themselves when safe did no such thing, going off to form the barricade without discussion. It only took around 10 minutes to make the best improvised barricade they could, Byakuya's content ''muh'' being enough to signal that it was passable. The group used their bags or jackets as cushioning as a sacrifice for warmth, as the windows of the store were broken on one side, exposing them to the chilling air outside.

Kyoko sat seemingly perturbed slumped against the wall closest to the broken window. Makoto came over to her and sat down gingerly, afraid of rejection from the Detective. He pulled a small blanket out of his bag, shuffling closer to her. She smirked and rolled her eyes at him but didn't voice any opposition. He draped the blanket over the two of them instantly feeling the heat from being so close to her. She allowed her head to rest on his shoulder as she often did in private; the night they had spent together in the Academy had allowed her the emotional space to show at least some affection to him.

''You are too thoughtful for your own good sometimes.'' She said quietly, her eyes fluttering open from her position on his shoulder as he turned to meet hers. ''That's why you're the strongest of all of us, and… the reason I feel more human.'' Makoto gripped her gloved hand under the blanket and gave it a soft squeeze, never breaking the eye contact they had established moments prior. ''I don't think any of us would be here, if you weren't the worlds greatest detective. I would say that I was half as good as you, but I couldn't even tell that '11037' was 'Leon' upside down.'' He laughed, remembering how clueless the 78th Class was during the 1st trial. ''I'm not the world's greatest detective, Makoto.'' Kyoko said grumpily. Makoto looked at her inquisitively as she closed her eyes and nuzzled further into the crook of his neck. ''Batman is.'' She mumbled, a tired smile creeping onto her face. Makoto chuckled softly as he rested his cheek on top of her head. ''Looks like I taught the ice-cold detective the wonders of humour.'' ''It's more likely that watching Hiro try to function as a normal person is the source of my jokes.'' Makoto laughed slightly harder at that and fell silent. They stayed like this for a few minutes. He could hear her breathing, it was rhythmic, but Makoto knew she was still awake. He decided not to call her out on it. After all, the quieter it was, the more likely she was to fall asleep instead of acting as a watchman for the night as he knew she intended to be.

Eventually Makoto found that he and Byakuya were the only ones left awake, which wasn't surprising, as Toko had managed to fall asleep with her head in his lap. Byakuya seemed very unhappy with this revelation but didn't wake her, which Makoto assumed was due to the fact that she could wake up as Genocide Jack, an equally annoying but highly unpredictable figure in the eyes of the Progeny. Makoto gave him a small smile, which Byakuya responded to with a look that screamed ''go to sleep, you imbecile.'' Makoto was inclined to agree, and went about trying to force himself into slumber, which worked in his favour after around 5 minutes.

His eyes shot open when he heard a muffled scream from inside the room. He scanned his surroundings, instantly finding the problem and realising his current worst fear. Junko was rolled over onto her front, her hands still bound and her gag still on. 'Dammit Byakuya, I said to at least ungag her when she slept!' She was sleeping up against the barricade closest to the broken window when Makoto drifted off, meaning that not only was she the closest potential victim, but also the easiest to victimise as she was bound to a leg of one of the tables in the barricade. A dishevelled man stood over her, a look of lechery and rage in his slightly glazed eyes. He had her skirt in one hand, the other scratching a patch beard caked with dirt and what looked like dried blood. She had obviously noticed that Makoto was awake, as she stared desperately in his direction, though he couldn't tell to well as the sun had only just began to rise and send light through the gaps in the buildings across the street. There were no tears in her eyes and no sign of worry on her face, Junko had been almost completely composed, which was of little surprise to the Luckster. Kyoko was slumped onto her bag on her right side, allowing Makoto space to shift he lay without waking her directly. He slowly rose to his feet, he legs slightly numb from the position he slept in.

''I recommend you stop what you're doing right now, sir.'' The face of the man instantly became visible as he turned to face the source of the voice. He had almost colourless eyes in this light, the slightest hint of blue in his pupils. His hair was damp and matted, and it couldn't be determined what colour it was or used to be. He had a look that displayed more excitement than it did fear at the sight of Makoto. It was made even more strange when he smiled at the Ultimate Hope. ''Been suh… so long since I last saw another survivor, let alone a woman this sexy.'' His voice was dry and slightly gravelly. He knelt down and rubbed the back of Junko's bare thigh, his smile somehow growing wider. ''You kids must do this to her all the time, right?'' He asked as if he knew the answer was yes. ''Why else would she be dressed like a whore if you weren't gonna treat her like one?'' He giggled like a child as her started to pull off one of her boots. Makoto stayed in silence, slowly inching his way towards him. ''Stop.'' A simple request, but one he almost knew wouldn't be regarded. The deranged man looked up at the short man tiptoeing to Junko. ''You mean you ain't gonna let me have her, you fuckin' runt?'' He almost spat in his direction as he managed to wrench Junko's boot off her squirming leg, tossing it at Makoto's feet. ''Of course. She isn't yours.'' He spoke as slow and as deep as his voice would allow, hoping that he would come off as intimidating. Then the most awful noise met his ears.

The safety of a gun. One pointed in his direction. The expression of Junko's assailant changed from one of childish glee to one of contempt and hatred. Makoto looked around him, everyone except Hiro on the far side of the room. How long they'd been awake, he didn't know. Had they watched this whole event, or had it been the click of the safety or the boot hitting the floor that had awoken them? If the man thought that the boy who'd almost been crushed by a press was scared of a gun, then he would be unfortunately correct. Makoto lost almost all of his composure, visibly sputtering when he saw the glint of the revolver's barrel. He made no attempt to move closer, staying a few yards away making sure his empty hands were visible to the hostage taker. It was not only his life at stake, but Junko's and the rest of the group. The man switched the pistol into his left hand, leaving his dominant hand to continue stripping Junko. He put one leg either side of her torso, clamping her between them to limit her struggling. He crouched down over her, taking his eyes off Makoto. A loud smacking noise resembling footstep resonated in the Makoto's ears. The next thing that Makoto heard was a gunshot.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hello again! I'd like to start this note by saying that I have no idea how frequent I'm going to be putting out these chapters. I hope to be updating every 2 or 3 days, as long as I'm not swamped with school work. Also, if there is anything that annoys you about my writing style, please leave a review. I've never written before except in creative writing tests, so any constructive criticism is helpful. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter!**

A sharp pain exploded in Makoto's shoulder, the force of the bullet penetrating the flesh launching him back and to the floor. A sharp cry left his mouth, the almost banshee-like shriek ringing out in the small book store. Yasuhiro had evidently been woken by the gunshot, as he awoke with a start and instantly yelled out in fear. Makoto looked over to Byakuya, the contorted look of pain and surprise burned onto his face. He had gotten up as quietly as possible as soon as the gunman turned his attention to Junko. Rather he had _attempted_ to get up as quietly as possible. As Toko too was frightened by the gun, she had kept her head in Byakuya's lap, much to his chagrin. When Byakuya stood swiftly, he had launched her off of him, startling their attacker to the extent that he fired his revolver blindly. There was a look of remorse on his face as he stared blankly at the shorter man writhing in agony on the ground.

Kyoko was instantly at his side, the fear of the firearm seemingly put to the wayside as she checked his wound. She found the bullet wedged underneath him and breathed a sigh of relief. ''The bullet passed all the way through.'' She looked over at Hina, who already had taken some gauze out of one of the bags closest to her. ''Hina, apply pressure to his right shoulder, please.'' The Detective spoke calmly, a stark contrast to Asahina's rushed ''kay.'' The Swimmer ran over, wary of the man who still stood above Junko, though his attention was no longer on her. The Fashionista took the opportunity to shuffle across the floor towards Byakuya. The gunman's arms dropped to his side briefly, before he clearly found the motivation to point the gun at Kyoko. She kept her usual stoicism, choosing to meet his gaze with an equally vicious expression to his one.

''NOBODY MOVES!'' He suddenly burst out. He kept his gun trained on Kyoko but darted his eyes around the room. Kyoko lifted Makoto's head off her knees on which it had previously rested, urging Asahina to keep his head off the cold ground. She stood slowly, never stopping the eye contact between her and the largest threat in the room. ''Do you really want to shoot another person today? One that poses no threat to you?'' Kyoko asked almost too aggressively for someone in such a dangerous position. ''DON'T EVEN TRY TO…''The gunman stopped in his tracks as he heard the almost animalistic groaning coming from Toko on the ground. ''What the fuck is wrong with her?!'' He asked in a panic. ''Make her stop or somethin' blondie?'' He started his request as a command but it became more of a question towards its end. Toko's back was to the intruder, but her chest rising was visible to him. Byakuya, despite not being thrilled at being referred to as 'blondie', complied with a smirk. ''You heard her Jack, stop groaning and be a good guard dog.''

The deranged man erupted into laughter for a small period. ''JACK?! What kind of name for a girl is J-ACK!'' He was cut off a pair of scissors lodged into his gut, the owner cackling maniacally _ **. ''First off, I'm not a girl.'**_ _'_ Jack whispered into his ear as she twisted the scissors in his torso. ' **'** _ **I'm a very sophisticated LADY!**_ _''_ She announced as she tore the blade out of him, creating a huge wave of blood that coated the ground in front of him. The Ultimate Murderous Fiend pushed her victim all the way to wall and gripped him by the shoulders to stop him sliding down it _ **. ''Usually I only do this to pretty boys, but it's been years since I last did it!''**_ Genocide Jack looked over to Byakuya expectantly, seeking approval for what she was about to do to. Byakuya looked at the rest of the visibly shaken group. Only Junko's eyes expressed a want for the attacker's gruesome murder, but he was expecting such an insane woman to wish to see that. He looked closer at Makoto than he did anyone else.

He was sill breathing heavily, but he was still watching Toko's other self hold the grimy man against the wall. The Heir looked back to Jack and shook his head, the Murderer's face losing some trace of glee at the sight. _**''Too bad, buddy! You don't get the honour of dying in such an awesome way! I'll just let you go now!''**_ The Murderous Fiend released her grip on his shoulders allowing the wounded man to drop to the ground, a hoarse scream of agony escaping his lips as he slipped to the ground. Jack turned to Makoto and the two other girls by his side. She knelt down next to Junko and untied her hands. Junko immediately made her way to her feet, seemingly unfazed by being nude from the waist down (save her left boot). She picked up her clothing and went to the corner of the room to get changed. She still had the tape over her mouth, which made her just as silent as the rest of the group who, save for Jack's soft humming, had gone about their respective business in an attempt to ignore the pained noises from the seemingly harmless man resting with a whole in the stomach by the barricade.

Kyoko and Hina went about making Makoto as comfortable as possible, propping him up on a bag and giving him some water. Makoto would be subject to disinfectant in a few minutes time when his laboured, panicked breathing calmed. Junko stayed in the corner of the room and Byakuya noticed that even with her hands free, she made no move to remove her gag or attempt to find the gun that had been lost in the commotion. Jack had been staring out the window, the sun now high enough to justify it to be morning. She sneezed. When she turned to the rest of the Ultimates, her eyes widened and she began hyperventilating. ''She g-got out ag-again didn't she? I'm sorry M-Master, I didn't mean to, I swear I didn't want to let her out again!'' Byakuya walked over to her and dragged her through the gap in the barricade the intruder had somehow made during the early hours. They returned about three minutes late, a huge blush accompanying the wide grin on Toko's face. ''So I _was_ helpful…'' She mumbled disturbingly to herself. Byakuya knelt down next to the wounded man and began to search his pockets. ''What is your name, heathen?'' He demanded dryly. ''As if… you'll live long enough to remember it, _rich boy.''_ The distinctive flick of a switchblade met his ears, and he had little time to react to an attack from the critically injured man. Luckily, he didn't need to react.

A whizzing noise raced by his head, an arrow almost splitting the man's head in two. Byakuya launched himself backwards onto his rear, spinning his head in the direction where he assumed it to have come from. Despite the sun being high enough to see the majority of the street, a figure stood in the darkness of an alleyway, the glint of steel on a bow and the shine of formal shoes being the only visible trait they had. Those who were tall enough to meet the figure's eyeline stared at him while Makoto and Hina stayed below the height of the table barricade. The figure walked backwards further into the shadows, disappearing from sight. ''Relax, everyone. I think we may have found an ally.'' Byakuya said confidently, but with a trace of scepticism behind his words. Byakuya saw the gun underneath the leg of the corpse that sat on the far-left wall. ''Does anyone hear have any experience with firearms?'' Kyoko stood sharply, an stretched an open hand. ''My grandfather taught me when I was younger, I carried one occasionally during my detective career.'' The Progeny looked around the room for any others with experience but found a series of empty looks. ''So be it.'' He tossed the gun to the Sleuth and turned to pick up the knife that may have been his murder weapon moments prior. When he looked back at the small huddle, he found that the Ultimate Hope was slowly making his way to his feet. ''I'd like everyone to get their bags and stuff together, we're leaving.'' The Luckster said through gritted teeth. ''I'll carry your bags for ya Makoto!'' Yasuhiro exclaimed as he rushed over to Makoto's bags on the opposite end of the room from the body. ''At least let me carry one as well, dummy!' Hina yelled as she jogged over to The Shaman. ''Thanks guys…'' Makoto muttered under his breath as the rest of the group went about packing up their things.

Junko strolled over to Makoto and grabbed him by the hand. Makoto attempted to protest, but Junko's grip was too strong as she dragged him over to the corpse. She pulled the arrow out it and handed it to Makoto. ''You want me to use it as a weapon?'' He asked slowly as he raised an eyebrow. Junko rolled her eyes and huffed as well aa she could with her mouth covered. She pointed to the shaft of the arrow, which had writing on it that he hadn't seen during his quick inspection. ''Travel north if you want your 'salvation'''. Makoto read aloud. He eyed Junko again. ''This the place you spoke about in the last class trial?'' The Mastermind nodded. Makoto stared at her for a moment, before putting his hand on her cheek. Junko's eyes widened for a split second, before she felt a tug at her skin. The short boy rolled the piece of tape into a ball and threw to the floor, wincing as the sudden movement hurt his shoulder.

''What one earth are you doing?'' Byakuya questioned from across the room. ''Do I have to remind you that she is a criminal mastermind?!'' He shouted at the pair. ''Exactly'' Makoto retorted. ''If she is as much of a genius as we all know her to be, then not only would she have already escaped, but she could be extremely useful to us, no?'' ''I agree. If she is the Ultimate Analyst as she claimed to be during the final trial, then she could even predict things that Yasuhiro couldn't.'' Kyoko explained mater-of-factly. ''Do none of you see the dangers of allowing a maniac who caused the destruction of the world and society as we know to roam free amongst us, some of the last healthy humans left on the face of the Earth?'' The rest of the teen prodigies stayed silent, unsure of what side they should be on. ''Why don't we let her 'loose' for a little while to see what she can do for us, huh?'' Hiro asked after a few seconds of considerate silence throughout the group. The rest of the group shrugged their shoulders or stayed quiet, or in the eyes of Byakuya, went against him. The Heir sighed.

''If she kills all of us in our sleep, you'll regret trusting her so blindly.'' He added in frustration as he opened the gap in the barricade once more and began his journey north. Toko immediately began as soon as she saw his exit, spurring the Swimmer and Fortune Teller to join her. Kyoko checked the barrel of the revolver as she walked out, pulling her backpack onto her shoulders as she did so. ''Thanks for helping me out there hope boy.'' Junko whispered seductively as she rested her chin on his good shoulder. ''I am very appreciative.'' Makoto exhaled slowly. ''If you are that appreciative, you can help me put on the rest of these bandages as we walk.'' He said, voice lacking any emotion that Junko may have been searching for with her attempt at sex appeal. He threw her a small roll of bandages, and began to walk over to Kyoko, who's heels he could see on the other side of the barriers frame. She regarded the corpse a final time, before she and Makoto left Monokuma's master in the room alone. Junko giggled gleefully as she began her journey too, a small blush donned on her face. ''I'll make you fall into despair one of these days, lover boy.''


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hello again! I've been trying to make chapters longer as I progress, there's just so much that I think of whilst writing, and its usually stuff that isn't in my original drafts. Hopefully people like longer reads, I'll try to cut down if it's not preferable. Enjoy!**

Makoto noticed that Junko was constantly adjusting her walking speed to be directly to his right during their pilgrimage to the 'salvation' she had spoken about. Kyoko was to his left at most times, less than happy that Makoto had to cease conversation when the Fashionista came within earshot. Byakuya led the group this time, never turning back except to check on Junko's behaviour. His face was often a frown or a disgruntled expression, but even the less observant amongst the class noted that his face was contorted into a scowl. Even Toko, who often found herself talking at him even when he was angrier than usual held back to a few meters behind him. Asahina and Yasuhiro, the two Byakuya had often described as 'the dimwits', were deep in conversation about what they thought their old neighbourhoods looked like. Both of them attempted to be optimistic but knew that the likelihood of anyone they use to know being alive was very slim. Makoto piped up with a small speech that revitalised the conversation, but this time about what they remembered of their family and the positive memories they had. The Ultimate Hope noticed that Junko was barely able to keep herself from making a derogatory or depressing comment, so he made eye contact with her specifically and slowly shook his head. She seemed to get the message and chose instead to pester Makoto and Kyoko for the remainder of the short journey.

''Hey Makoto?'' She asked with the largest puppy eyes she could muster. ''Do you think I'm attractive?'' She said with a devilish grin. Makoto stayed facing forward but adjusted his eyes to look at Kyoko. She had her usual stoic expression, but the slant of her eyebrows was a big enough tell that she was eagerly awaiting his response to the question. He turned to meet Junko's gaze. ''Physically, yes. In terms of your personality, far from it. I would go so far as to say that it's difficult to be attracted to you due to your clear insanity.'' Junko smiled brightly. ''That means I just have to change myself, or…'' She closed the already miniscule gap between them and pinched his cheek. ''I just have to change you.'' She said the last part with incredible innocence, but Makoto knew that her methods would be less than humane. He chose to remain silent and reached outward slipping his hand into Kyoko's gloved one once again. He gave her hand a similar reassuring squeeze as he had the night before and she gave him a soft smile. He returned one of his own, much to the amusement of The Mastermind, who giggled inwardly.

The Ultimates had been walking 'north' for about 45 minutes, and after several detours around roadblocks and overturned vehicles, they came across another arrow. It was embedded in the roof of a car, which was on stacked at the top of a wall of crushed cars. ''Guess that's a sign to start climbin', huh?'' Yasuhiro suggested, putting his foot into a small crevice along the wall in preparation to climb. ''You cannot be so stupid as to scale a wall without checking if there is a way around?'' Byakuya asked condescendingly. Hiro immediately regained his footing and rubbed the back of his head. ''I guess we should check…'' He offered sheepishly. ''Okay, then we'll split into two pairs and a three and check along this stretch for another road heading the same way.'' The groups were obvious, Junko with the Detective and Luckster, the 'dimwits' formed a pair as did the two glasses wearers. They began to search the surrounding streets for any route in, only to find near identical walls, however they lacked the lone arrow they had discovered on the first obstruction. The group returned to this first wall after what they assumed to be 30 minutes, but they lacked a watch or clock to observe the passing of time efficiently. ''Well then'' Byakuya said after confirming that there were no other entry points. ''I suppose we'd best begin our ascent.''

It came as no surprise to the teens that Hina, who had been starved of almost all sport since their time in the academy, was pumped for an activity that required physical activity. The wall was barely wide enough for all of them to begin climbing at the same time, but Makoto had suggested that they do so to avoid being separated. The wall was not difficult to climb, it was almost as if someone had made spaces that could support hands and feet. Makoto, to the surprise of himself and the other reached the top first and stood shakily. He jumped down to the ground, which he instantly regretted as he felt he landed on his back. He screamed as he contacted the asphalt. The bullet wound in his shoulder was practically begging not to undergo anymore stress or pain and he had severely aggravated it. With his eyes squeezed shut, it was difficult to determine who's hands were pulling him to his feet. When the pain subsided slightly, he opened his eyes to see Junko. He furrowed his brow in confusion and he was tempted to question her until he saw that she was looking straight past him, her face devoid of all emotion. He spun his head enough to see behind him. A pack of rabid dogs were at the opposite end of the street, many of them on their haunches and snarling. ''Run, you imbeciles!'' Byakuya yelled from his position with the other on top of the wall. They didn't need to be told twice.

Junko grabbed Makoto's hand and began to run, pulling him into a department store, or at least the remains of one. He didn't know where she was leading him, but he wasn't really bothered as long as it meant escaping the rabid mutts were chasing them. Despite their head start on the canines, they were already a few metres behind, much to Makoto's annoyance, though not to his surprise: he was extremely injured and running like a zombie. They had managed to get some leeway by snaking in and out of various isles, but the store only had one door at first glance, so they would have to leave the way they had entered. Junko had dragged Makoto into the changing rooms and hid in one of the stalls. Luckily, the layout of the store meant that not only was each individual stall large enough for two people, but the changing room was only about a ten second sprint from the door. However, a ten second sprint for a human, is likely 3 seconds for a dog starting in roughly the same position. Junko didn't bother speaking and Makoto didn't really want to interrupt her. She was staring very hard, her mouth making obvious syllables but no sound coming out. He assumed that she was using her Ultimate Analyst talent, so he chose to try analysing the situation for himself. The two stayed silent for quite a while, attempting to use logic to escape their situation.

After several minutes Junko stopped talking to herself and looked Makoto straight in the eye. She gave him her infamous grin, in what he assumed to be reassurance. It wasn't. She grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him out the stall door, knocking him into one of the few remaining metal shelves. This in turn fell onto the next, which fell into the next and so on. Several dogs were crushed (not fatally Makoto hoped) and many more were blocked by the new barrier. He realised Junko's plan; use his luck to their advantage. He wasn't too happy about the possibility of his death or the newly renewed pain in his shoulder, but he chose not to whine as it had given them a lifeline.

The Mastermind jogged over and pulled him up, and they made their way out the door onto the road where the wall with their group stood. They were going to climb up the wall but noticed that this side was covered in barbed wire. Byakuya informed them that they were trying to release Genocide Jack to protect them, but Toko didn't have a painless way of rendering herself unconscious. The dogs ran back out of the store and began to encircle the Ultimate Hope and Ultimate Despair. The plan in the store had clearly worked in some regards, as the pack's numbers were reduced. The Luckster had counted 9 when they first spotted them, but there were only five now. This was still enough to kill them or cause any other variation of painful experience. He looked up the wall once again. Kyoko and Aoi were nowhere to be seen, and the Heir and The Author were trying desperately to make the latter sneeze. Yasuhiro looked on in awe, and Makoto was surprised to discover that he wasn't looking at them. ''HEY!'' The Fortune Teller screamed in desperation. ''Help them please!''

Makoto turned a full 360, searching for the source of Hiro's outcry. He eventually found it in the direction he was initially facing. A black and silver blur was practically already upon them, rushing from dog to dog, even beheading one that had jumped up to Makoto whilst he was distracted. The sheer force of the blur knocked Makoto and Junko onto their rears. They continued slicing through their animal attackers, the red eyes of their saviour the only discernible thing about them as they came to a stop. The carnage of the assault was all around them, canine corpses littering the street. The crimson eyes stood out from under the cloak that the figure wore, but the entire face was made visible when they pulled down the hood. Makoto then noticed that the person before them only had one arm, with the other being a stub from a point that was south of the elbow about an inch or two. ''O.M.G!'' Junko screamed gleefully. ''What happened to you arm, stubby?'' The figure ignored the comment and raised their sword to the Fashionista's throat. ''I don't need two arms to survive.'' She said confidently. ''I'm the Ultimate Swordswoman.''


	5. Chapter 5

**AN; Hello again! This chapter is probably the one I've been looking forward the writing the most; there are so many fan favourite characters that make their story debuts. I wonder how many people thought that Izuru Kamakura was the group's saviour at the end of the last chapter? My description of Peko was deliberately vague to make people think that it was him lol. Enjoy the chapter!**

The rest of the Ultimates made their way down from the wall to meet the mysterious upperclassman. ''I am Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman. I am pleased to see that you have all survived up until this point. I was sent here by our leader to ensure your safe passage to our home. There you will receive warm food and a place to wash up.'' She withdrew her sword from Junko's throat, turned her back on the group and pointed down the street. ''We will be travelling this way, so please follow me.'' Hiro seemed almost too eager to follow, walking even faster than their guide down the road. ''How exactly do you expect us to trust you?'' Byakuya asked inquisitively.

Peko spun around to meet his gaze. She had shown little emotion since her arrival and continued to do so. ''I was a student of the 77th class of Hope's Peak Academy, and you were students of the 78th class. We interacted on several occasions, even participating in festivals and group work together. Whilst you have no recollection of this, I can assure you I know each of you well enough to justify saving your lives.'' She kept a soft vigil on Byakuya, who scowled in what seemed like defeat. ''How did you know we would be outside the Academy, at this time and at this location?'' He retorted more panicked than Makoto had ever heard him before. The pieces were slowly coming together in the minds of the younger Ultimates, who realised why the wall was there. It wasn't to keep them from escaping a zone around the Academy. It was the first line of defence to keep others getting near the prestigious school. ''The answer is simple, Mr Togami.'' Peko said without a hint of emotion in her voice. We also have an Ultimate Analyst in our group.''

The Swordswoman motioned for the group to follow her as she began powerwalking down the overgrown street. ''We can trust her everyone. If she was going to kill us, she would've already done it. At least I think…'' Makoto trailed off as he started following gingerly. The rest of the 78th class copied, and soon they were on their way to 'warm food.' The journey didn't seem to last too long, with silent walking being occasionally interrupted by questions from Byakuya or Kyoko. Peko chose to answer as helpfully as possible, but many of her answers left more questions to be asked. When asked how many were in her group, Peko answered 'six, or occasionally seven', spurring Hina to ask how often this seventh member appeared. Peko this time chose to answer vaguely, stating: 'he is usually with us when one of the others is absent.' Makoto stopped Kyoko from questioning the silver-haired woman further, as he believed it may have been discord within the group. Hina spent the rest of the trip attempting to gain the whereabouts of any pools or running tracks, but Peko chose to distract her from this by asking about her workout regimen, which kept Hina talking for roughly thirty minutes. Peko stopped about ten minutes after the Swimmer fell silent and directed those following her to a small hatch in the middle of the street. ''This is our home.''

The group looked at each other in confusion. This hatch was in the centre of a busy street in the suburbs of Tokyo. How had no one found this before or at least found it strange enough to investigate? ''Y-You mean you live in the s-sewers?'' Toko asked in disgust. ''As if the sewers could make you smell any worse.'' Byakuya replied almost merrily. ''How do all six of you live in what I can assume to be a few hundred yards of space and have a working shower and place to cook?'' Peko smirked, the first sign of true emotion she had shown since meeting the group. ''It is bold of you to assume that our home is only as long and as wide as this road.'' The group collectively widened their eyes. Even Junko seemed to be taken slightly aback. Peko opened the hatch and allowed light to shine into the hole left in its place. ''Please climb down the ladder. It is not a long descent.''

Makoto, in an attempt to further prove his point that Peko was not a threat, slowly made his way to the hatch and sat on the road with his legs dangling into the opening. He placed his feet on the third foothold and gripped the first with his hands. He went down slowly, a mixture of fear of the unknown and a want to avoid aggravating the pain in his shoulder. It was a strange sight as he looked down, the room below him was enormous and extremely well lit considering it was underground. The space was roughly the size of a mansion's ballroom, a stark contrast between the dank, damp systems of pipes he was expecting. The room was so bright it looked like daylight was coming in, making many details of the room easily visible.

The ladder appeared to be in the exact middle of the room, meaning that Makoto could gain a full perspective of his surroundings as he made his way down. In the left side of the room was what liked like a bar/kitchen; there was a long counter top with several stools. One the other side of this counter top was an oven and another equally long counter top against the wall that held several kitchen appliances and cupboards above them. He could even make out the lights on the microwave from his position on the huge ladder. Directly below/in front of him and a few feet from the foot of the ladder were a collection of couches and armchairs that faced inward to a television. There was a coffee table between the seats and the TV and Makoto could barely see a PS4 among other various consoles on the floor around the cabinet the TV was raised up on.

He inwardly squealed in delight at the prospect of being able to play video games but took his mind off of it to look behind/below him. The sight of the space behind him confirmed that the ladder was directly in the middle of the room, as said space contained a pool table and a dining table. Makoto was nearing his way to the foot of the ladder but had enough time to glance to the right side of the room. This side was far less interesting but did provide him with a sense of direction. There were a series of doors, he counted 8 in total though he wasn't too sure. He finally found solid ground after roughly 2 minutes of climbing down. 'Not a long descent', he thought sarcastically to himself as he looked up. Not only was this room as wide as a mansion, it was also as tall as one. He could barely see the hatch from his position, and instantly thanked his surroundings for being so distracting that he paid no attention to the height of the ladder.

He cupped his hands either side of his mouth and yelled up in the direction of the hatch. To his surprise, Junko made her way down the ladder first. Makoto assumed she was sent first for Byakuya's fear of her knocking anyone off the ladder. Whilst she was making her way down, Makoto decided he'd investigate the home further. As he spun on his heels, he realised that the floor of the shelter was carpeted, which he was almost angered by. Not only did they live in extreme comfort with what he knew to be electricity and guessed to be running water, they had enough time and resources to carpet the entire floor? A suited man appeared in the corner of his eye, and he turned to greet them. They were roughly the same height as him, but with short blonde hair and a large black eyepatch that stood out sharply in the bright lighting of the home. He wore a wide grin on his face as he strode closer to the Luckster. He wore a dark pinstripe suit upon closer inspection, which had a small corsage above the left breast pocket. He placed his hand on Makoto's bad shoulder as soon as he reached him earning a wince out a him. ''My bad, pal.'' He said quickly as he pulled his hand away. ''Forgot that someone put a bullet in ya.''

He pondered for a moment, before offering a handshake to the younger boy, which he accepted with little hesitation. ''Name's Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, the Ultimate Yakuza. Nice to meet you.'' He said with a soft smile. Makoto returned one of his own. ''I'm Makoto Naegi, I _was_ the Ultimate Lucky Student. How did you know that I'd been shot?'' He asked almost instinctively as he had no memory of telling the blond that he'd suffered a gunshot wound. The Yakuza laughed abruptly, almost making the Ultimate Hope jump in surprise. ''Didn't Peko tell ya who our boss is?'' Makoto shook his head slowly, earning a surprised look from the Gangster. ''Well… suppose that's to be expected. She's got a bun in the oven so I guess that all the hormones are making her forgetful or somethin'.'' He said nonchalantly. Makoto's mouth gaped. ''Peko's pregnant?!'' He almost yelled. Fuyuhiko gave him a sly grin. ''And she still kicks ass.'' He answered confidently. ''Hey, you know that when-'' Fuyuhiko stopped as he glanced over Makoto's shoulder to the foot of the ladder.

His face grew dark as he clasped Makoto's shoulder again, this time specifically the one with no injury. ''The fuck did you bring her along for?'' He asked, an obvious rage building in both his tone and his body language. ''We kept her alive purely so she could help us find a safe place.'' Makoto offered meekly. The Yakuza's good eye drifted to the floor, a scowl still present on his hardened face. ''Well I for one think that you should've-'' ''Kuzuryuu.'' A deep voice echoed, interrupting the hot-headed Gangster. ''Fuckin' great, the first time you meet him and he's Mr Negative.'' Fuyuhiko mumbled grumpily. Makoto first looked behind him to Junko who was dusting off her skirt a few steps away from the bottom of the ladder. When he turned back, he came face to face with a boy who stood a few inches taller than him and that had a similar ahoge. His red eyes shone brightly as they looked him up and down.

Makoto took the opportunity to do the same to him. The taller boy wore a standard white dress shirt with black slacks and formal shoes. His shirt pocket had the symbol of Hope's Peak on it, bringing Makoto to the conclusion that he was once a student there. His face was almost completely unremarkable; other than the red eyes there was nothing that Makoto would consider giving a second thought. ''So you are Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Hope.'' The older boy remarked dryly, no emotion leaking out through his tone or wording. Makoto stood as tall as possible before offering his hand to the mysterious man. The crimson-eyed boy looked at his palm closely for a split second before taking the Luckster up on his handshake. ''I am Izuru Kamakura, though for the majority of you time here you will likely come to know me as Hajime Hinata.'' As if one cue, the red colour drained from Izuru's eyes, leaving a soft brown in their wake. ''Sorry that you had to meet 'me' in that form.'' The boy said apologetically, putting 'me' in air quotes. He smiled genuinely, tightening his grip on Makoto's hand. ''I'm Hajime, welcome to our home. It's wonderful to meet such prestigious Ultimates.'' Makoto blushed deeply, flattered by the words of what he assumed to be this group's leader. He let go of Makoto's hand and called someone over from one of the rooms on the right side of the shelter. A small woman with pinkish-grey hair walked slowly over to arrive at Hajime's side. She smiled sleepily, before glancing down to the baby she was cradling in her arms. Hajime wrapped an arm around her shoulders before stroking the side of the baby's cheek gently. ''This is my wife Chiaki and our daughter Hiyoko.''

 **Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you enjoy this holiday season!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Hello again! I'd like to start this note by addressing one of my reviews. If you're concerned about Hinata becoming a character that defines the story and is too overpowered, don't worry, he won't. I have no intentions to make any character flawless and unable to die in this universe, especially main characters. This universe is supposed to be dystopian and slightly depressing with moments of hope the Danganronpa series is famous for. With that said, enjoy the chapter.**

Chiaki made Makoto very self-conscious. From the small distance he was from her, she looked very small. As he approached to greet her, he realised they were the same height. Was he really that small? He knew that Kyoko was taller than him, even when barefoot, but was it really that noticeable? After introducing himself to Chiaki and making funny faces at her daughter he turned back to Hajime, who directed him to the kitchen. He pulled out one of the stools to allow the Luckster to sit down, before continuing on behind the counter. Hajime reached up to the top shelf and brought down a large bottle of whiskey. He produced a tray full of glasses from seemingly nowhere. He poured the liqueur in two glasses and pushed one along the countertop to Makoto. The shorter boy picked up the glass and stared through it. ''I probably have a terrible tolerance.'' He chuckled nervously. ''Good.'' Hajime responded dryly. ''I'd prefer if some of the details of what I'm about to tell you were vague in your memory. I'm only going to explain myself once to each of your group, so it doesn't potentially trigger my other self's episodes.'' Makoto chose to stay silent and simply nod in confirmation. Hajime took a deep breath before he began.

''Before the world was destroyed, the steering committee of Hope's Peak conducted an experiment to see if they could give a talentless individual a talent or, in my case, several talents. I was a talentless individual. My obsession with Hope's Peak had got me as far as signing up for the Reserve Course, but that cost tens of thousands a year. My family couldn't pay for it any longer and the school knew that. I was offered the chance to stay on at the school if I participated in this experiment.'' He stopped and looked towards Chiaki, who was talking to Kyoko and Byakuya, the latest two from Makoto's group to come down the ladder. ''It almost cost me everything when I accepted. I told Chiaki that I'd 'see her tomorrow' the day that I went to the committee. They kept me in the basement of the Academy for months, I never thought that it'd take so long to prep for what was essentially a glorified lobotomy.''

Makoto's eyes widened and he went to speak before Hajime gave him a reassuring look. ''I never knew the full extent of the experiment. I was told that they would give me a talent with few negatives. They completely removed my personality and took away all of my memories. When I woke up, I was told my name was Izuru Kamakura and that I had every talent known to man.'' A lightbulb went off in Makoto's head. ''So you're the other Ultimate Analyst that Peko spoke about.'' He mumbled. ''I'm more than that. I am talent. I'm the _Ultimate_ Ultimate. There's only one talent that I don't possess, and that's luck.'' He said as he pointed at Makoto, who raised his eyebrows in surprise. ''So… what happened after you woke up? Surely a lot to get to this situation.'' Makoto said hesitantly. Hajime nodded before continuing on. ''Not at first. The first few weeks were quiet but my memories were slowly coming back. I was locked in a dark room and was occasionally greeted with a scientist who'd test one of my various talents, so I had a lot of time to think. As soon as they found out that my memories were coming back to me, I was let out. I was given nothing, so I assume they believed that my skills and logical way of thinking would allow me to survive with little issue. That's when I saw what was happening to the world.'' He poured himself another glass. He glanced at the ground before circling the counter to take a seat next to Makoto.

''You know its only been 3 years since I started Hope's Peak. I had half a year of school before the experiment. Chiaki and the rest of her class had a solid two, then halfway through the third year shit went down. You were halfway through your second year I would guess, right?'' Makoto, who had shifted in his chair to face the boy on his right, nodded with a smile. Though he had no memory of his time at Hope's Peak, he was certain he had a good time with his friends. If his memories ever came back to him, he would probably feel as bittersweet about them as possible. ''When I was out in Tokyo, I kept thinking about Chiaki; she was one of the few things I could remember. There was about a year where all I did was observe. I stayed close to the Academy, so I could keep an eye on the committee and their experiments. To my knowledge, they never created another Izuru, but they could've simply moved the lab to throw me off the trail while I was locked away. But after that year, the UN Council met.'' Both boys looked solemnly at the floor. ''That's when war broke out, and a few months later your class was locked inside the Academy.''

Makoto had heard the hatch shut a few seconds before the Prodigy's sentence had finished and when he turned back, he saw Peko and Fuyuhiko in a tight embrace with the rest of the group exploring the room. He met Kyoko's eyes and she gave him a small smile. Makoto returned one of his own before looking back towards Hajime. The older boy gave him a knowing look. ''I'll finish this up real quick, I know you'll want to speak to her.'' Makoto laughed lightly, before encouraging Hajime to continue. ''As soon as Japan declared war on China, I knew shit was about to hit the fan. I began building this place as well as stocking up on food and general supplies. I'd say I stole about 6 years' worth of essentials.'' Makoto gave him a disapproving look, which Hajime responded to with a snort. ''I don't share memories with or control my other self, Makoto. The only reason I know about any of this is because Izuru kept a memoir. 'Sides, I didn't have any money, so thieving was the only way to prepare for what I already knew would come next. About a week or so before the bombs dropped, Junko Enoshima broadcasted a similar video to the one she'd shown at the UN. This one was exclusively for the people of Japan and it encouraged them to kill all Hope's Peak Academy students. It claimed that they were the reason that Japan was losing the war. Of course it failed to mention that every countries' governments had been corrupted by despair and had led to the collapse of almost all societies. I mean, Europe was destroyed long before Asia was, and our Prime Minister celebrated with swirls in his eyes on national television the day we nuked China.''

Anyway, the 78th class were coming back from a rare field trip under the new martial law state, which is why Junko released the video when she did. She knew it was the one time that I wasn't as close as possible to them. She knew that I wouldn't be able to save all of them. And I didn't. The bus was in Yokoyama when the crowds jumped it. I already predicted where they'd stop and was on my way. 16 people left on that trip.'' Hajime squeezed his eyes shut and contorted his face into a deep frown. ''I saved seven. Not even half. I would've thought that on the way to the shelter I could've kept them safe, but some died on the short journey from Yokoyama to Tokyo.'' Hajime went to pour another glass but thought better of it. ''Hajime Hinata was born again that day. Izuru comes and goes but he's unstable now.'' He placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder. ''That's why I hold you in such high aplomb. Even with all of my talents and my genius level intellect, I still lost to despair. The world ending was just the icing on the cake.'' His hand began to slip from its position but gripped it even harder than before as he began to speak again.

''But you won against despair with no talent and little support. You beat the Ultimate Despair in front of the few people in the world that could still watch it.'' He stood up sharply. ''The objective of the experiment that made me this was to make me the original Ultimate Hope. How ironic that it was right under their noses all along.'' He smiled ear to ear patting Makoto on the back. ''Now go speak with your girlfriend, buddy.'' Makoto turned bright red but nodded as he stood. ''Thank you, for telling me your story. I'm sorry for your losses.'' Hajime suddenly brought Makoto in for a large hug. ''you're the first person I've ever told about this. It was just…. good to get it out.'' He said as he pulled away. He started to walk away from the Luckster but stopped and spun back towards him. ''Almost forgot! The rest of our group will be coming over about 5, they're nice people so I hope you get along. Talk to you later!'' Makoto grinned to himself, only to stop as he felt a hand wrap around his. A gloved hand.

''What do you think?'' Kyoko asked quietly as she watched the Ultimate Ultimate bring Byakuya over to the bar. ''He's mentally unstable, traumatised by watching the deaths of those he thought he could save and is the most dangerous person in the room.'' Makoto replied regretfully. A moment of silence hung over the couple. '' _Buuuuut_?'' Kyoko said expectantly. ''He's a nice guy and seems genuine. I have no reason to believe that he was lying. He does seem like he wants to keep as many people he cares about alive as he can. You'll have the opportunity to question him when he tells you his story.'' Kyoko seemed content with his interpretation. ''Before you ask, I think all of the people we've met so far are good trustworthy people.'' Kyoko hummed in accordance. ''We'll just have to see what the other three are like when they come in what… two hours?'' He said as he squinted to make out the clock. Kyoko hummed again and began to drag him to one of the couches in front of the TV. They sat down next to each other, Kyoko lifting her legs to rest on his lap. She giggled as he voiced his disapproval at being used as a cushion. He chose to let it slide and keep himself occupied by watching Chiaki and Hina play peek-a-boo with Hiyoko.

The two or so hours passed, and Makoto realised that he and Kyoko had both fallen asleep on the couch. A knocking on the hatch had woke him up, and he turned to look up at the hatch. It was open, but he chose to turn his attention to Kyoko instead. She hadn't slept at all of late, so she had obviously passed out. He gently shook her awake, and she sat up groggily. ''They're here,'' Makoto said softly, not wanting to be too loud as she'd barely been conscious five seconds. She gave him a singular nod before swinging her legs round and down onto the carpeted floor. Makoto watched her carefully as she stood, just to make sure she didn't fall in her wobbly state. He stood up as well, just as the hatch shut with a clang. He recognised the sounds of someone hurrying down the ladder. When he turned around, Hiro and Hina were already conversing with one of the three new arrivals, and Byakuya was begrudgingly speaking with Toko and a man or equal height to the Heir. ''Hi.'' He heard from his left. He rotated to be met with a girl with short, red hair.

''I'm Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer. You're Makoto Naegi, right?'' She wore a green skirt and white blouse, with overalls originating from the skirt's waistline. Her bright green eyes stared at him expectantly. ''Yeah, it's very nice to meet you, Mahiru. I've heard great things about you from Hajime.'' The redhead's cheeks tinged pink slightly. ''H-Hajime spoke about me?'' She asked sheepishly. Makoto could already tell what was happening here. ''Not you in particular.'' He rushed out. ''He said all three of you were good people.'' Mahiru nodded and a few seconds of awkward silence followed. ''Anyway!'' Makoto blurted out to break the silence. ''This is Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective.'' ''It's nice to meet you. I hope we can get along.'' Kyoko bowelled slightly, returning a similar greeting to her partner's. ''I'd love to chat more, especially about Enoshima and stuff, but I have to go speak to your friends. I'll speak to you later, yeah?'' The Photographer said with a sweet smile as she walked away. Makoto gave an annoyed look to the lavender-haired girl. ''Could you please attempt to be more… warm to people?'' He asked, knowing the likely answer. ''Pfft, as if.'' The Sleuth replied sarcastically. ''You hate awkward conversations. If anything I saved you from more nervous dialogue.'' Makoto sighed as they walked up to the tall, black-haired boy.

His hair went up in a swirl similarly to Hina's but had grey streaks in the swirl that continued into one stripe throughout his hair. His eyes were heterochromatic; one was red and the other was grey, though Makoto couldn't tell if it was a contact or not. He donned a long black trench coat that travelled all the way down to the start of his boots, which were also black. His left arm was covered in bandages, and his other was almost completely exposed sav for a few rings on his fingers. He was sickly, almost deathly pale and seemed to be more confrontational up close. They came to a stop in front of him, unsure of how to introduce initiate conversation. ''Uh, hi, I'm Makoto Naegi. This is Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective.''

The boy looked them both up and down. He furrowed his brow before he spoke. ''So you are the powerful pairing that defeated the malevolent wench within that evil Academy.'' He smiled coolly, before reaching into his jacket. His hand emerged with four hamsters hanging onto it, each seemingly striking power poses. ''I am Gundham Tanaka, the Ultimate Breeder. I am one of the most powerful mages on Earth.'' He pointed to his pets, which Makoto assumed where the results of his breeding. ''You are worthy of being in the presence of my Four Dark Devas of Destruction. I look forward to seeing how you cope in this world and to see if you truly are the Ultimate Hope.'' He gave a strangely humbling thumbs-up before turning attention to Aoi and Hiro who he had seemingly sensed behind him. ''Sometimes I wish you hadn't given me that title.'' Makoto referenced to the girl to his left. ''It was accurate. You instilled hope in all of us, as well as the people watching across the globe.'' Makoto chewed at the side of his cheek as he considered Kyoko's claim. ''Hello!'' An excited voice called out next to him.

The voice belonged to a girl. A very strange one at that. She wore her black hair in two horns and a ponytail, with the bangs at the front being dyed pink and blue (though the colour was fading). She had a typical sailor-like school uniform, with the blouse being pink and the skirt being blue. He assumed this was to match her bangs. Her nails were also painted this hot pink and blue, with the colour alternating as it went along each finger. Her legs were almost completely bare save for a pair of black sandals. Her toenails were also painted in the same alternating pattern. ''Why are you two staring at Ibuki's feet?'' She asked playfully. ''You two aren't fetishists or anything right?'' She asked in a worried tone, though it was obviously comedic. ''No, we're not.'' Kyoko finally spoke up before pausing to stare again. ''Do your legs not get cold?'' She asked, almost bewildered by the girl's choice to go out without any cover on a winter evening. ''Of course! Ibuki is in fact extremely cold!'' She bellowed with an excited giggle. ''Then why do you- forget it, I'm Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective. This is Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate _Hope_.'' She added extra emphasis on 'hope' purely to annoy him, but he couldn't get annoyed in front of a stranger.

''Yay! You two are awesome! I am Ibuki Mioda, and I was the Ultimate Musician!'' The Rockstar said with renewed enthusiasm. ''I am so stoked to meet the two smarterest people in the world!'' Makoto couldn't tell if she said that to be ironic, or if she actually thought that it was a word. Either way he found himself smiling. The only person he knew that could rival or beat his level of joy and enthusiasm was his sister, and he didn't want to think about her right now. Not when it was almost impossible to imagine her alive. He shook off his sad thoughts and smiled as brightly as possible at the Musician, who squealed in excitement before wrapping her arms around the two of them. ''You two are exactly like how you were on TV! Ibuki loved you on TV, so it's coolio to see you in person too!'' She ranted as she kept her arms locked around them in a tight hug, her voice muffled due to her face being buried onto Makoto's jacket. She let go and pulled away as quickly as she had been upon them, a huge grin appearing on her face. Even Kyoko was having a hard time not returning Ibuki's infectious smile, though she contained it to a muted smirk. Ibuki went to speak again but was cut off by Byakuya clearing his throat.

''Now that we're all here and have acquainted ourselves, I'd like to start out first agenda for this evening.'' He strode over to the dining table before taking at seat at its head. He motioned for the rest of the group to join him at the table, which all but Hajime, who was rocking his daughter gently behind where Chiaki was seated, did. ''I'd like to ask all of your opinions on what Enoshima's punishment should be.'' Makoto instantly began looking around the room for the Mastermind. Her spotted her in the armchair closest to the TV. She had one of her own magazines in her hand but was asleep with her head resting on the chair's armrest. The Luckster and The Detective gave each other a knowing glance. She definitely wasn't asleep. However, Byakuya continued, drawing their attention back to the Affluent Progeny at the end of the table. ''It is my opinion that she should at the very least be incarcerated for her crimes.'' '' **No.''** An emotionless voice grumbled furiously from behind Chiaki. The table all turned to meet Izuru's red eyes, a tell-tale sign that Hajime was no longer home. ' **'We will kill her**.''


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hello! I hope last chapter did a good enough job at explaining the backstory of this universe as well as showing the relationship between Makoto and Kyoko. I tried to make the banter between the two as in-character as I could, so I look forward to writing the pair more often. WARNING: This chapter is VERY DARK and it features the deaths of many known characters in the series, as well as other violent and dark themes. With that being said, enjoy the mayhem!**

The bus ride back was similar to the majority of Chiaki's car journeys; she spent almost all of it engrossed in her handheld. That was until Ibuki screamed from the back of the bus. There were almost a hundred men and women storming at the bus, some even had weapons. The class instantly stood and began to huddle near the centre of the bus. Even the strongest among them had expressions of fear and confusion. The driver instantly put his foot down, only to be greeted by a car parked sideways across the road. The bus contacted the car at what seemed like 100mph. Then the world went black.

Chiaki woke to what seemed like a warzone. She was still inside the bus, caught on the back of a pair of seats. She had been seated during the crash, unlike the majority of her peers. She felt a horrific pain in her arm, which had been underneath her when she had awoken. She could only assume that it was broken or worse. Her hand trailed down to undo her seatbelt but found that she had been wrenched from the seat so hard that the belt was no longer attached to the holder. The bus had come to rest upright but in a position where the back of the bus was raised about 45 degrees in the air. She managed to stand shakily and shuffle out from behind the seats. She stood in the gangway and stared down the narrow path to the doors of the bus.

She vomited almost instantly. Teruteru and Ryota were lain in a pile. Both had huge holes in the top of their head. Both were obviously dead. She didn't have the energy to scream after she finished heaving. Only a few hours ago was Teruteru making perverted jokes about the anatomical models in the biology exhibit. Only a few hours ago Ryota was making his anime on his tablet as they wandered through the science museum. Chiaki began sobbing as she attempted to navigate around the corpses, noticing that the wounds on their heads were too perfect to be caused by the crash. Someone had boarded the bus at some point and murdered them. Why had they left her alone? Did it seem like she was already dead? She reached the doors of the bus and peered out through the broken glass. She couldn't believe how it could get any worse.

Gundham, Nekomaru, Akane and Peko stood around some of the class. They were protecting them from attack. They were stopping the public from killing them. Through the crowd she could see Mahiru and Fuyuhiko, who were being guarded by Peko and the rest of the class's fighters. She could see some of the others but couldn't make out who they were. For the time she had no interest in finding out. She was safe here and running out would provide another vulnerable classmate for the already weary four to protect. She would use this opportunity to find an escape route for her and her class. It was difficult to concentrate when all you could hear was the angry shouts of the crowd and the occasional scream. Suddenly a figure appeared in front of her. She fell backwards onto her rear due to the surprise of his appearance. A man in his forties by the looks of it. He had a deranged but strangely blank look on his face and his pupils weren't visible. His eyes were just swirls. He made no attempt to attract others to her but raised a pickaxe over his head.

That's when The Ultimate Gamer realised. The pickaxe is what had killed the two in the bus. She closed her eyes and braced herself for a killing blow that never came. All she could hear from in font of her was gurgling and gagging. She risked opening one eye, only to see the man's head hovering a few inches above his neck. Blood splattered over her face as the body feel backwards away from her, landing with a thud. She looked up and to the right and met the gaze of a man with long black hair and red eyes. He wore a formal suit that seemed free of damage and shiny dress shoes. He squatted next to her and stared at her arm. She suddenly became wary of how vulnerable she was with her left arm completely out of commission. He gently lifted her arm, causing her to yelp in pain despite the softness of the mystery man's movements. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth while he moved her. When she glanced at her arm, the sleeve of her jacket cut away and her forearm was in a cast. It was also suspended in a sling. She quickly looked to her aide. He had been straight-faced and silent this entire time. He slowly lifted his hand. He cupped Chiaki's face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. He smiled genuinely before standing. He clambered over the corpse he had created, bending to pick up the pickaxe. He gave her one final glance before waling over to the rest of the 77th class.

He was incredible. He mowed down almost all of the crowd in a matter of seconds, splitting skulls and shattering bones as he weaved in and out of attackers. Soon the crowd was reduced to a handful of citizens. The class was not killing their assailants but the crimson-eyed boy was not so kind. Peko looked towards Fuyuhiko, who gave her a small nod. Peko withdrew her katana and threw her bamboo sword to Akane. She charged at a small cluster that had began making way to the huddle in the centre of the street. With a single slice, all of the brutes were decapitated. A few moments ago there were at least 80 men and women attempting to kill them. There were no murderers left now. Chiaki took the opportunity to make her way over to the huddle who were breathing heavily and trying to regain their composure. She could hear wailing and crying from the middle of the circle.

As she approached she realised it was Mahiru crying. The redhead held Hiyoko in her arms, though the girls was limp and covered in blood. Chiaki squeezed her eyes shut as she turned away. That was 3 of their class that had died today. She was supposed to be class rep. She was supposed to keep them safe. She took a long walk away from the group who stood and sat in pained silence. She walked to the front of the bus and would've vomited again had she anything left to throw up. Mikan's body was lying in a mangled heap a few feet from the car the bus had crashed into. She had been standing at the front when the coach crashed and had evidently been thrown through the front window of the bus. She looked back at the bus's front. A huge hole in the glass was there but she was unsure if that had been caused by The Ultimate Nurse flying through it. She chose to believe that was how she died. At least it would've been quick.

When she wandered back over to the group, she found Kazuichi screaming in an impassioned rage at Gundham. The rest of the group were downcast and silent, save for the sniffles and sobs of Mahiru, who had clearly lost her voice from wailing for so long. ''She was head over fuckin' heels for you, man! You're just gonna abandon her, you asshole!'' He screamed at the gothic boy. The red-eyed boy spoke up for the first time. ''If you insist on trying to save her, you will die. Please, don't sacrifice yourself for a lost cause.'' He said solemnly. ''And who the FUCK are you!?'' The Mechanic yelled back. ''I am Izuru Kamakura, the Ultimate Hope. I came here to rescue you. All of you.'' Kazuichi closed his mouth for a moment. ''Then doesn't that mean you'll save Miss Sonia and Ibuki and Nagito?'' He said, tears welling in his eyes. ''Not if it means losing more of you.'' Izuru responded calmly.

''Where did those three go?'' Chiaki asked sheepishly. Kazuichi eyed her in desperation. ''These guys took 'em. They went up the hill. I don't know what building they went into.'' Kazuichi almost began hyperventilating but manged to calm himself enough to avoid it. ''Wha-What are they going to do to them?'' Chiaki managed to breathe out in a panic. Kazuichi yet again looked at her desperately, the tears in his eyes going against him and falling down his cheeks. ''There's 20 or so guys and two of the people they took are attractive girls. What do you think they're gonna do to 'em?'' He said, his voice barely audible through his whimpering. Chiaki's eyes widened in recognition. She turned to Izuru, a pleading look on her face. He met her gaze and took a deep breath. He turned to Kazuichi. ''Okay. We'll try to save them.''

Gundham was not happy with the current situation. His Dark Queen had been taken and he was not sure if she could be recovered. The small group he was a part of strode towards a factory warehouse a few minutes up the hill. This Kamakura character had devised a solid plan. Peko was to escort Chiaki, Fuyuhiko and Mahiru to a shelter the mystery man had claimed he had in the western suburbs of Tokyo. Despite Peko being only one woman, she convinced him that now she was unhinged, she could kill anything that posed a threat to the group. Izuru didn't need to be told that. He already seemed to know a lot about their classmates. Yet he was an enigma himself. It wasn't even obvious what he had in the backpack he now carried. Nekomaru and Akane were to travel to the Academy to see if they could find and potentially save any teachers.

It was obvious that they intended to save Chisa Yukizome, their Homeroom Teacher and Ultimate Housekeeper. To the Breeder's surprise, Izuru had been the one that had suggested that the Team Manager and Gymnast go back to Hope's Peak. He told them to attempt to disguise themselves and that their attackers knew what they looked like. He also advised that if they came under attack and could not fight their way out, they should get to a high vantage point. That left him, Izuru and Kazuichi to try to retrieve the three kidnapped students. They were walking up what they would've assumed to be a busy road. The cars in the street were abandoned and there were no people on the sidewalk or in the road itself. The road was connected to the one their bus had crashed on so the three assumed that all of these cars belonged to the people that had come to kill them. There was a small warehouse near the end of the road, and Izuru informed the two boys with him that it was where their classmates were being held.

The group made it to the large doors to the building and stopped outside. They could hear cheering and laughing from inside, as well as the clanging of metal. ''H-How are we gonna save 'em?'' Kazuichi asked, attempting to put on a brave face. ''I believe Gundham should have a plan and the means to carry it out.'' Izuru stated calmly, nodding his head in the direction he was facing. Gundham raised an eyebrow inquisitively before turning to face the building across the street. A kennel. The Breeder gave his companions a small smirk. This could work in his favour.

The happy atmosphere in the warehouse was quickly swapped for one of agony and regret for the perpetrators. Gundham walked in almost unhindered as his army of dogs swamped the twenty or so men inside, killing or seriously injuring as they went from man to man. After around 30 seconds, there were no men left standing. Some were writhing on the floor but none were unharmed enough to survive. Gundham stamped his foot twice, the signal for Kazuichi and Izuru to enter. Kazuichi gasped before sprinting to the centre of the room. Sonia was indeed in the warehouse, bound to a chair. There was a single bullet hole in her forehead. Kazuichi sunk to his knees, trying to force words out that became incoherent mumbles and sobs. He was so entranced at the sight of Sonia that he failed to notice the body of Nagito, which was strung up from the roof. His corpse appeared to be somewhat intact and Gundham swore he could see a smile on his twitching face. But he did not care for either of the corpses, even if one of them was his Dark Queen. Ibuki had to be found.

That meant that the dogs had to be sent to the corner so they could see everything clearly. The canines went to the right corner of the room, where they sat in content silence. Izuru walked to the opposite corner and pulled back a curtain. Ibuki sat with her legs raised to her chest, completely naked. Gundham paced over, wanting to see the condition of his friend. He exhaled sharply as he saw a puddle underneath her. He didn't want to know what the liquid or fluid was but his heart sank when he imagined it to be what he and Izuru assumed. Her eyes were completely lifeless; There was no joy or excitement present in her empty pupils. She lifted her head slightly to meet Gundham's gaze. She instantly allowed her head to drop back down without a word, her mouth slightly agape but producing no noise. Izuru pulled his backpack off his shoulders and dug his hand into one of the pouches. He produced a box of tissues and a packet of wet wipes. ''Go and comfort Kazuichi, please.'' Izuru said, his voice shaky, which Gundham hadn't thought he'd hear from someone he'd only seen to be silent and resolute. Izuru held Ibuki under her arms and stood her up. She complied totally, allowing Izuru to wipe her down and dry the makeup stains on her face as Gundham strode over to the weeping Kazuichi.

The Mechanic was still on his knees but now had his head in his hands. He wasn't crying loudly, it was more of a soft whimper that could only be heard from up close. Gundham squatted next to him and rubbed his back. He wasn't sure if it would provide any reassurance but he had seen it done before and presumed it to be helpful. Kazuichi looked up at him, the tear streaks still scarring his face. ''I can't do it man. 'Snot fair! Why did she have to go? Why not me or you?!'' He screamed in a mixture of sadness and anger. He stood suddenly, grabbing Gundham by his collar. ''Why couldn't she… stay alive?'' He glanced back at her body in the chair, before loosening his grip on Gundham's collar and allowing his arms to fall to his sides. Gundham stared on in silence. Sonia had been one of only a few things the two peers could converse about. It had been one of the reasons for their rivalry, although Gundham, Kazuichi and anyone with a brain could see that The Ultimate Breeder was clearly the Princess' favourite.

''I'm sorry that we couldn't get here in time. I'm also sorry that it took me this long to realise that you were a braver man than I. '' Gundham spoke slowly and clearly, so the irrational Mechanic didn't hear it incorrectly or assume it was derogatory. Kazuichi rubbed his eyes before he tried to meet Gundham's hard gaze. ''You, who I had assumed to be a cowardly fool, were the first to suggest even attempting to save these three. I was caught up in my own fear and confusion to even think about our imprisoned compatriots. And although we didn't get the outcome we wanted or save all of them, we still rescued someone in need. It would not have been possible without your courage, Kazuichi.'' The pink-haired boy raised his eyebrows, and then gave his trademark shark tooth smile. ''You've never called me by my name before, Gundham.'' His face fell slightly. ''You usually call me 'fool' or 'imbecile', so that's a welcome change.'' Kazuichi quickly glanced toward the door and sprinted to Gundham. He pushed him to the floor milliseconds before a gunshot rang out.

Gundham and Izuru turned their attention to the door. A group of men stood at the door, all armed with guns or blades of some respect. Ibuki poked her head around the curtain and upon seeing the men, squeezed Izuru's forearm. Izuru gave her a reassuring yet short smile before stepping out from behind the curtain. Gundham went to stand, but a single shot whizzed over his head. ''Don't get up, traitor! This is what for betraying our country, you scum!'' The figure at the front of the pack yelled. ''So any of you that-'' The man was cut off by a hatchet splitting his skull. The rest of the group yelped or ducked out of the way of potential attack as the body fell forward in front of them. There was no movement or noise for a few moments. Those who had ducked or fallen to the floor began to rise cautiously, expecting an attack at any point. They began to huddle back to back on impulse, as they held guns at arm length.

A blur moved around the group and when it disappeared, fountains of blood erupted from the throats and arms of the men. The bodies dropped in an instant, the sound of strained gurgling and attempted screams filling the room. One man still stood, a baseball bat in his hands. Izuru wrapped his hands around his neck and threw him across the room and into the wall in front of Ibuki. He landed with a soft thud, crawling his way up the wall before Izuru stuck to shards of glass in the back each of his thighs. He flopped down onto his chin with an agonised shriek. He had come to rest in front of Ibuki's feet and was struggling to get back to his feet. The swirls, though watery, were present in his eyes as they were for all of the other attackers. Izuru stepped on his back as he approached Ibuki, receiving a grunt from the ant under his boot. He held the man's own bat in his hands, which Ibuki took with no hesitation. She now wore a pair of jeans and a hot pink jumper that Izuru had changed her into. She had no expression on her face as she did earlier but the black-haired boy could see the hatred in her eyes.

Izuru stepped off the man and made his way over to Gundham, who cradled Kazuichi in his arms. Gundham's panicked breaths were all that he could register from his view across the room. The Ultimate Mechanic was completely sprawled out above Gundham's arms, a huge bloodstain on his blue jumpsuit. From the position of the hole at the centre of the wound, the bullet had punctured his lung, potentially a whole load of other organs as well. His breathing was ragged and arrhythmic as he attempted to speak to the boy holding him. ''I'm…. so glad…. I got you… out of the…. way….'' He barely whispered up at him. ''Why, Kazuichi? Why did you do that?'' Gundham spoke quickly, emotion evident in his voice. ''She… liked you more, man…. You're way more… likely… to be useful….'' Kazuichi coughed blood as he finished his sentence. Izuru crouched next to him, inspecting his wound. He hovered his hand above the wound and traced a path across his torso. He looked at an expectant Gundham and slowly shook his head. Gundham exhaled shakily, clearly on the verge of tears. ''At least… Sonia will be…. Up _there_ too…'' Kazuichi spoke his final words and went limp in his rivals arms.

A small smile was plastered on his face; he was evidently thinking of Sonia and the afterlife as he passed. Gundham hugged his body, tears just about falling from his heterochromatic eyes. He shuffled onto his knees before walking on them to Sonia, dragging Kazuichi behind him. He laid Kazuichi next to the Princess' body before striding over to the side of the room, returning with a chair moments later. He placed the chair on the right of Sonia's chair and pulled Kazuichi into it. He took Sonia's right hand and Kazuichi's left before intertwining their fingers in the space between the chairs. Izuru watched the puppet master work in stunned silence, confused as to the purpose of this 'art.' Gundham turned to the mystery man with a straight, hardened expression. ''It is what he would've liked, if my views of him were astute.'' He pinched the bridge of his nose after his explanation and walked out of the warehouse.

Izuru marched over to Ibuki's side. She gave him a stern, angry look whilst tightening her grip on the bat. ''I won't judge you for what you choose to do. His punishment is up to your judgement.'' Ibuki looked down at the man below her. She looked at the bat. She looked at Izuru. Then she swung down as hard as she could. The pained groans of the man went silent as the sound of cracking echoed through the room. Ibuki raised her bat again, this time over her head, and swung again. She repeated this motion several times over the next few minutes. After what seemed like the hundredth swing, Ibuki stopped to catch her breath. She looked down at the pile of mush, brains and skull fragments beneath her. She dropped the bat and fell onto her knees. She sat staring at her own creation for some time, a mixture of guilt and regret evident on her face. He could see the cogs turning in her mind as she tried to comprehend why she had murdered a defenceless man. She eventually stood after a few minutes of contemplation. She looked towards the door and audibly announced her relief when she realised Gundham hadn't witnessed her ruthless violence. She began to walk towards the door. Izuru grabbed her upper arm, stopping her in her tracks. He pointed to the window on his left, which she rushed over to.

Upon looking at her reflection, she realised that her face was covered with speckles of blood, as well as on her clothes. When she turned back around, Izuru was holding the packet of wet wipes. She took them from his hand and began to wash her face. No words were exchanged during her assault and no words were exchanged in the aftermath. Izuru ushered her to Gundham in the doorway when she was finished. They both turned and left as soon as Izuru began his journey to them. He gave the bodies in the warehouse one final look before drawing the door closed. They had arrived in low spirits and left in even lower spirits. Thus was the power of Despair.

The class, minus Akane and Nekomaru, reconvened on the roof of the building adjacent to the manhole. Peko and her group climbed down from their vantage point and almost sprinted to their friends. When they found out their were no more than three of them, they knew what had happened. Mahiru broke down into wails and sobs once again, hugging Chiaki as closely as she could. Ibuki finally allowed herself to break down, Chiaki having to push Mahiru off her slightly to comfort the Ultimate Musician, who practically fell into her chest. They stayed in the middle of the street for some time before Fuyuhiko questioned the location and ability of the shelter. Izuru left his conversation with Chiaki to demonstrate his craftsmanship. He wrenched open the manhole and pointed into it. The group were hesitant to enter what they assumed to be a sewer but saw no other means of safety from the crowds that were presumably heading in their direction as they dawdled in the middle of what was essentially, a barrel in which they could be slaughtered like fish at any time. Izuru asked Chiaki to descend first to show her class that it was capable of protecting them. If the Class Rep couldn't convince her classmates, then how could he? To his relief, the group of Ultimates were more than happy to leave the street once The Gamer had made her way down the long ladder. Once all of them were at the bottom of the ladder, Izuru closed the hatch and made his way to show the guests their new home.

There were 10 rooms on the right side in total, with 8 containing two beds and the others being a large bathroom and laundry room respectively. There was a large pantry behind the kitchen on the right of the cabinets, with what seemed like decades worth of tinned food. Izuru encouraged Chiaki to stay with Mahiru and Ibuki for the night, which she agreed to without a second thought. Peko and Fuyuhiko decided to push their beds together in one room and Gundham did the same in the one next door, though there was no one staying with him. He would need to be observed, especially after the traumatic events he had witnessed earlier. Izuru would be perfectly available to do it with all the time he now had on his hands. Chiaki had text both Akane and Nekomaru to tell them where the shelter was and Izuru was waiting at the corner of the street for them to come by. It was already 11'o clock now; it was late and the majority of the class had no problem falling asleep due to the tiring emotional turmoil they had been through. It was quite strange to see the Gymnast and the Team Manager walk down the street with no followers or aggressors. Izuru stood off the lamppost and waved them over. He lifted the hatch and allowed the two entry, making sure the hatch shut properly after him. He showed the two the rooms, but both chose to stay in the same room. He took a seat on he sofa as the students went into their room. He didn't hear the shuffling of furniture so he assumed they chose to sleep in separate beds. Izuru took the opportunity of silence to write the contents of the day in his journal. He had failed. Hajime Hinata would need to know the events of today and all other days before it; Izuru couldn't be useful in situations like this if emotion caused malfunction. He placed his journal on his nightstand with the page open. He locked his room and placed the key on the page to ensure that Hajime would read his latest log. He lay on the bed, closing his red eyes. He knew that when he woke, they would be brown.

And they were. Hajime woke up for the first time in years to a bland room with average furniture. He gained his bearings before attempting to open the door. It was locked and panic overtook him before he spotted the journal. Just as his other self had predicted, the words caught his eye and he began reading. It told him the reason for his waking, then told him to go to the front of the journal to read every entry. He spent about an hour reading the journal as thoroughly as he could. He wasn't confused as to why he was taller anymore. At the front of the journal was a picture of himself before the experiment. When he looked in the mirror in his room his hair was a different colour; a dark black. If he was the the Ultimate _Everything_ , then surely he was the Ultimate Hair Stylist too? He picked up the hair scissors and quickly rushed into the bathroom with the picture in hand. He effortlessly copied his previous hairstyle, even styling the ahoge to the exact same shape and size. He swept up the hair and threw it in the garbage can. This first experience using his Ultimate Talents made him think.

How powerful was he? Was he limitless as long as he kept his emotions, as Izuru has said? He took a shower and thought it over, coming to the conclusion that he should at least attempt to master any talents involving combat or survival skills. When he freshened up and got dressed, he left the bathroom in search of Chiaki. Izuru had said she was here but Hajime had almost no confidence she would remember him at all. As he stepped out of the bathroom, he spotted her sitting cross legged in front of the TV, looking through the various games and consoles in the cabinet the television stood on. He walked over to her, attempting to surprise her. Would it be awkward if he surprised her if she didn't remember him? Yes. But the chance to see her face if she did remember him would be **so** worth it. And it was. She obviously heard his footsteps and turned to face him.

Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped. ''H-Hajime?'' She asked shakily. ''You were Izuru?'' Hajime smiled as brightly as he could, nodding in response to her question. Chiaki quickly stood and ran over to him, burying her face in his chest. ''I'm so glad you're here.'' She said as she began crying. Hajime couldn't tell if they were from relief or happiness. The questions could come later. For now, they would simply enjoy being reunited.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hey again! I hope you enjoyed the last flashback chapter. I tried to make the cause of deaths or reasoning for events somewhat vague, as I thought giving the reader a chance to interpret how the class died and why would be better. There won't be a flashback chapter for a while now but when there is one it'll explain what happened to Akane and Nekomaru. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **P.S- sorry for the lack of clarity on when perspective changed between characters. It seems my font change didn't work. Sorry!**

Chiaki looked up at her husband. She threw her head down to look at the floor as soon as she realised that he was currently Izuru. Makoto couldn't help but notice the fear in her eyes. Was she afraid of Izuru? Or his claim that he wished to kill Junko? Either way the fear was unmistakable. The group looked on in disbelief. Had Izuru really brought Makoto and the rest of the survivors here with the intention to kill one of their ranks? Izuru's face hardened as he regarded the Fashionista 'sleeping' in the chair by the TV. Almost everyone knew she was awake but no one really wanted her in the conversation so they chose to leave her be. Hell, you could see the evil grin on her face. It was almost as if she was begging to be included. Mahiru spoke first. ''How do you intend to do that humanely?'' Izuru did not face her. ''Who said anything about a humane execution?'' Mahiru furrowed her brow and flared her nostrils but didn't say anything. ''Isn't there anything she could be useful for?'' Peko asked as stoic as ever. ''She's a criminal who destroyed the world and is a genuine psychopath. The only thing she could possibly be useful for is breeding, if she's even capable of that.'' Izuru had not moved his head from the path over to Junko.

''She is not trustworthy enough to be given roles within a survivor's society.'' The group were taken aback but had no argument that they knew Izuru would accept. ''Then why don't we just keep her for that and see if we can gain something else from her somewhere down the line?'' Makoto asked as he stood. ''Who the fuck would wanna child with that crazy fuckin' bitch?!'' Fuyuhiko almost screamed as he leant forward in his seat. ''The more pressing conundrum is; who would she allow to procreate with her?'' Gundham asked inquisitively, his deep voice travelling to Junko, who began giggling in her seat. ''Hey hey, let's not be too hasty here. We don't want to force a woman to have children, it's… almost as cruel as killing someone.'' Chiaki said slowly, as if she spoke from experience. Makoto would have to ask her about her life here later. Just to be safe. Junko seemed almost angry that Chiaki had suggested that. She stood up with a scowl on her face. It was so similar to the scowl Mukuro had when she was pretending to be her sister in the Killing School life. Maybe they were proper twins. She strode over to the table and stood behind Makoto. The rest of the table watched in disgust as she pointed at Makoto and mouthed his name while making the finger hole motion. ''I'm not going to do anything with her. As long as she is a psychopath.'' Makoto said as he rolled his eyes, clearly aware of the signs the Mastermind was making behind him.

''If you're the Ultimate Ultimate, then couldn't you, like, use a Therapist talent and fix Junko up?'' Hina asked as she put a finger to her chin. Fuyuhiko burst out laughing. ''Seriously!?'' He asked as he wiped tears from his eyes. The rest of the group were smiling as well. Izuru had been outsmarted by arguably the least intelligent person in the group. He had been so blinded by his hatred for Junko that he hadn't considered any option to transform her from a deranged maniac to a girl who could be considered useful and valuable to society. Izuru retreated into the depths of Hajime's mind, leaving the former Reserve Course student standing in confusion.

''What did he do?'' He asked as he stared at the snickering teens in front of him. ''Chiaki. Are you okay?'' He leaned down so he could be at her eye level. Chiaki gave him a loving smile as she nodded, encouraging him to hand their daughter to her. He smiled back, gently placing their sleeping baby into her arms. Chiaki stood before walking to her and Hajime's room, where Makoto assumed the crib was. Hajime once again looked over the group. ''What he said obviously scared her. What did he say?'' He asked again, his voice sterner. ''He told us that we had to execute Junko or force her to have children. He informed us that she couldn't be trusted as a part of the group.'' Kyoko spoke without hesitation or emotion. Hajime looked mortified by his other self's decision. ''Force her to have children?'' He mumbled under his breath. He too seemed as if he knew what that was like from experience. Kyoko gave Makoto the side eye. She was suspicious as well.

''Do we have any other alternatives for Enoshima's _punishment?''_ Byakuya inquired. ''I, for one, am not too keen on allowing Enoshima to receive psychiatric treatment with no actual punishment.'' Junko rested her head atop of Makoto, bending his ahoge down to appear like a unicorn horn as she did so. Kyoko knew that she wanted a reaction from the Detective so she paid no attention to Junko coming onto Makoto. Makoto was tempted to shake her off, but she would probably do something even more distracting or annoying instead. ''If you let me have Makoto to myself a few times a week, then I promise I'll be a good girl and go to therapy. Sound good?'' She said in her best attempt at an innocent voice. ''N-No, we're not d-doing that. How about we have C-Captain Fantastic build a cell?'' Toko suggested. Hajime narrowed his eyes at her sarcasm. ''I'll have to head out to get materials. I'd like someone to come with me so I can show them the farm. Any volunteers?'' Kyoko raised her hand, to even Makoto's surprise. Hajime shrugged, impartial as to who from the 78th class accompanied him. ''We'll head out in a moment.'' He said as he gave the lavender-haired girl a smirk. He turned and walked over to his room. Fuyuhiko was the first to stand, stretching and yawning as he walked over to the pool table. Peko had followed him their though she had chosen to play with him rather than watch. Junko finally took her head off Makoto's and placed her chin on his shoulder. ''I'm gonna go have a shower. You're welcome to join me~.'' She exhaled warm breath along his cheek before popping her chin off and walking over to the bathroom.

Kyoko placed a hand on his thigh under the table so that it wasn't obvious to those still seated. Makoto looked deeply into her eyes. He placed his hand on top of hers. He wouldn't mess around with anyone as long as he had her, especially Junko, who had submitted them to such atrocities. Kyoko recognised the look in his eyes and smiled softly. She got up and tucked her chair under the table, waving at Makoto as she walked away to an empty room she had clearly claimed as her own. Did that mean it was his room as well? Did she even want him to sleep in the same room? He would find out when they went to bed, he supposed. Which he certainly would. Considering it was now 6pm and they'd been up since about 5am. But for now he would bide his time until Hajime left. He had to ask Chiaki about Izuru and he was certain Kyoko would ask the same of his other persona. He did remember Mahiru saying that she wanted to talk to him more, so maybe he'd speak to her? He figured 'why not' and walked over to the redhead, who was speaking with Ibuki on the sofa.

He took a seat on the other couch that sat in the same L formation. ''Hello, Big Mak!'' Ibuki greeted, followed by a simple 'hey' from Mahiru. ''Hey guys.'' Makoto greeted back, trying to think of a solid way to start a conversation. ''Do you, uh, have anything…. You'd like to ask about my friends or me?'' He finally made something solid up. Mahiru appeared to realise the question was made up on the spot but rolled with it anyway. ''They're… unique I guess. I don't think any of us will be too keen on Byakuya and Toko, especially after what we watched during your Killing Game.'' She tried not to face Makoto as she spoke, probably for fear of being reprimanded by Makoto. The Ultimate Luckster waited for her to look up at him before he gave her a reassuring smirk. ''I don't really blame you. It took me a long time to break Byakuya down and I still don't think Toko's too trusting of me.'' ''W-What's that supposed t-to mean?'' Toko, who had clearly been eavesdropping from her position at the table, almost screamed from across the room. Makoto jumped slightly, before gritting his teeth and inhaling slowly. ''I just meant… that you don't really like to share your emotions with others, is all.'' The Ultimate Author's face dropped. Had he actually offended her or just made her consider her actions? Hopefully he hadn't. He'd have to apologise to her later.

Ibuki took the next few seconds of silence to creep closer to Makoto to whisper her answer. ''Ibuki thinks that Hiro, Aoi and Toko are a little dumby-dumb-dumb.'' She pulled back to her seat next to Mahiru, giggling to herself. Makoto couldn't help but smile at her choice of words. ''Yes, they've said and done stupid things but I don't think that they're completely incompetent.'' Makoto said as he leaned closer to them, lowering the volume of his voice. ''Speaking of incompetent.'' Mahiru laughed as she nodded in the direction behind Makoto.

He turned to see Yasuhiro trying to open a can in the kitchen. With a knife. Which was pointed towards his chest as he stabbed the top of it. That was basically a self-stabbing waiting to happen. Makoto sighed and put his head in his hands. Aoi jogged over to Hiro eventually and Makoto was hopeful she'd help the Clairvoyant out. Aoi got out a can opener out from a drawer and Makoto could almost scream 'hallelujah.' Unfortunately, she'd held it upside down as she tried to open it. Makoto stood with a huff a walked over to the two. He took the can opener, spun it the right way and handed it back to her. The Swimmer rubbed the back of her head and laughed nervously. Makoto gave Hiro a small lecture on safety before returning to is seat with his two upperclassmen. Mahiru and Ibuki were practically grinning ear to ear. ''Makoto is a proud dad.'' Ibuki said in a silly voice as she glanced at Mahiru, who started laughing uproariously. Makoto sat with a content smile. He liked these two; they had a sense and humour and common sense.

Hajime appeared from his room and poked his head into Kyoko's. He spent a few moments talking before Kyoko emerged. She gave Makoto a little wave as she walked past the sofa and started up the ladder after Hajime. Makoto was tempted to watch to make sure she reached the top safely but thought better of it. She didn't need to be babied. That and the girls would probably think he was trying to look up her skirt, as if he hadn't seen it already. He noticed that Chiaki was watching them go up though, a tired look on her face. He heard the hatch close and realised that this was he opportunity he was waiting for. He quickly excused himself and made his way over to Chiaki. She smiled sleepily at him when she saw him. ''Do you mind if I talk to you about something?'' Chiaki looked startled for a moment before nodding her approval. Makoto stretched out his arm to usher her into her room, which she did without a second thought. The husband and wife's room was slightly larger than the rest he had seen, but a lot of that was taken up by the crib Hiyoko slept soundly in. ''What did you want to talk about, Makoto?'' The Ultimate Gamer asked while yawning. Makoto steadied himself for what he was about to ask, then offered his loaded question.

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''Have you ever forced yourself upon Chiaki Nanami?'' Kyoko asked abruptly on their walk to find supplies. ''WHAT?!'' Hajime asked as his eyes widened in horror. Kyoko and he both stood still in the mossed street, the remains of burned-out cars scattered around them. Hajime's eyes trailed down to the ground, a dejected look on his face. ''Yes, well… this body did. It wasn't me at the time. It was Izuru.'' Kyoko kept a straight face, choosing not to make an expression. ''Did you have romantic relations with her before?'' She asked as stern as she had asked her first question. ''Yes, we were married a few weeks after we were reunited. It's safe to say it was one of the best moments of my life.'' ''Did you have sexual relations with her before the assault?'' Hajime almost looked angry. ''Why are you asking all these questions?'' Kyoko had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes. ''Have you forgotten what my talent is? It is quite literally my job to make inquiries and investigate crimes.'' ''You're treating me like a criminal?'' Hajime asked, though the anger subsided and was replaced by sadness.

''No, in fact you are the most trustworthy person amongst your group. You think of others before yourself and seem genuinely appalled by 'your' actions.'' Hajime couldn't smile at the compliment after thinking about his treatment of his wife. ''Were you and Chiaki trying for a child beforehand?'' Hajime was less frustrated by that line of inquiry. ''We'd… spoken about it, but we'd agreed not to until the state of the world improved. I wish we'd thought of a contingency plan in case _he_ hadn't agreed.'' Kyoko frowned. ''I'm sorry for asking you about this, but I had to be sure for the safety of my female friends.'' Hajime once again looked horrified. ''No no no, I-I wouldn't be… worried about that. From what I can tell, he's only interested in Chiaki.'' Kyoko gave him a singular nod. ''I won't tell the others about this, assuming they don't already know.'' Hajime confirmed that that was the case. Kyoko took out a notebook and wrote for a few seconds. She flipped it shut and placed it into her pocket. ''Shall we go?'' She asked suddenly.

It was very dark now and, despite the fact she'd never admit it, she was starting to get cold. Hajime pulled a torch which he had attached to his belt and took a larger one from the duffel bag he had hanging from his shoulder. He handed the larger one to Kyoko. ''You have a gun but you have few bullets. We'll try to get you more when we get back.'' Kyoko nodded before increasing her speed to catch up with the advancing Ultimate. ''So where exactly are we going?'' Hajime turned back and pointed up the side of a hill in the distance. With the quickly fading sunlight, she could barely make out the fields of a small farm. ''We have a small source of fresh vegetables from our farm. Me and Gundham help to maintain it.'' ''I was meaning to ask you about that.'' Kyoko spoke as she flicked on her torch. ''Peko informed us that there were only 6 living in your home most of the time. I assume that Gundham is the one who lives elsewhere the majority of the time?'' Hajime gave the Detective an eager grin. ''Definitely an Ultimate Detective. Yes, he does. He lives in that guard tower.'' He pointed with two fingers at a prison guard tower. ''How did you build that?'' Kyoko asked with a raised brow. ''I scavenged some cement and a load of bricks and metal beams. I built it at his request. Took me, working on and off, about…. 8 days?'' Kyoko was beginning to accept that Hajime was capable of feats that were either seemingly impossible or would have to be done by tens of men. ''Why did you accept his request?'' She inquired, attempting to find a logical reason to separate a member of the group. ''Listen to him when he's in a room alone and you'll understand.'' Kyoko looked up at the hill again. When she returned, she'd have to investigate the Breeder.

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Chiaki had been sitting on the bed sobbing for some time now. Makoto sat a few inches away, rubbing circles into her back. Luckily, Hiyoko had obvious been too tuckered out to start awake at the sound of her mother crying. ''You're…You're the first person I've ever told about this.'' She claimed through her tears. Makoto's eyes widened in surprise. Had she really kept this bottled up for so long? ''No one else knows about this?'' He asked, trying to avoid sounding surprised or disgusted as not to upset her more. ''I was too scared by what the others would think if I told them.'' Chiaki barely said, her voice raspy from crying for so long. Makoto stayed quiet for a few moments, then placed his hand on her shoulder to get Chiaki to look at him. She did, her eyes puffy and the normal blush in her cheeks being even more exaggerated. ''You love your daughter, don't you?'' He asked, receiving the expected nod in return. ''And Hajime is a good dad who loves you and Hiyoko regardless?'' Chiaki choked out a 'yep' and Makoto gave her his trademark smile. ''Then you shouldn't be ashamed of what happened. It may have been a bad experience for you but look at the positives that came from it. You have a daughter who you love, a husband that loves you and have inspired your friends to have children as well.'' He didn't want to glorify sexual assault but Chiaki would need to be constantly told that she wasn't in the wrong if she were to come to accept it. ''So please, Chiaki, you're an excellent mom from what I've seen so far. You've experienced a lot of loss. Don't let your past experiences define your future. You can't forget the bad things that have defined you but, in time, you can learn to accept them. That is _hope._ '' Chiaki almost looked proud as she stood and walked to the crib.

It was in surprisingly good condition; had Izuru taken one as part of his war preparations? Chiaki shifted Hiyoko so that she was in a slightly more comfortable position. She turned back and showed Makoto the widest smile she could manage. ''You really are the Ultimate Hope. I hope that you and Kyoko can-'' She was cut off by a loud clang. The hatch had been swiftly opened and closed. When the two former Class Reps left the room they saw Kyoko slowly making her way down the ladder, noticeably shakier than when she was ascending earlier. ''Where's Hajime?'' Mahiru asked as she made her way over to the Sleuth. ''There were bandits. He gave me the bag and told me to run.'' Toko stood sharply. ''Y-You mean you l-left him by h-himself?'' Fuyuhiko and Peko made there way over from the table, pool cues still in hand. ''I wouldn't worry about Hajime.'' The Swordswoman said, her voice still as monotone as ever. ''What she said.'' The Ultimate Yakuza said. ''When something threatens Chiaki, no matter how strong the guy is, _he kills 'em.''_

 **Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter- Hajime proves he's the Ultimate Ultimate.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hi again! Last chapter had a lot more dialogue and revelation and hopefully people liked that. Everything that was revealed in the last chapter will come into play later along the line. With that said, enjoy the chapter!**

If it wasn't for his talents in Martial Arts and Foresight, the bullet fired would have easily pierced his skull. He instinctively pulled Kyoko down to the ground and put the bag next to her head. The metal beams inside would almost ensure that she had at least some protection. He scanned his surroundings and found the glint of a scope due to the light of his torch. The shooter wouldn't be alone; there would be at least six enemies if this group was similar to other groups of bandits he'd faced over the last year. He waited for the second shot to pass next to his head when he tilted it to the side. The sound of the bullet casing hitting the ground was his cue to get Kyoko up and running for the hatch. He wrenched her up to her feet and placed the bag over her shoulder. They had managed to get within a block or two of the hatch and Kyoko clearly knew that judging by the sly nod she gave him. She turned and practically sprinted down the street.

Hajime tailed her at a slower pace, giving him the opportunity to prevent attacks more effectively than if they ran side by side. And the opportunity did present itself. A dirtied man in a balaclava and goggles appeared from an alleyway and took aim with a long-barrelled revolver. Hajime put a hand on either of his cheeks and twisted his head a full 360 degrees, his head falling to the pavement with a startling thud. Hajime scavenged the revolver off the corpse and continued his steady pursuit of the Detective. She had made it to the street where the hatch was located, her sprinting had become more of a steady jog as she realised she was under the care of the Ultimate Ultimate. She crouched over the hatch and slowly began to lift it off the street. Hajime took up a position on top of the same adjacent roof that Peko and her group of 3 had met him from on their first day living in the shelter. He heard the cocking of a rifle and looked down the street. A hunting rifle. One that can only fire a shot at a time. Perfect.

Hajime pulled the metal cover off the roof's air vent and waited. Kyoko had her back to the gunman who lined up his rifle. Hajime reeled his arm back and launched the cover down into the street towards the lavender-haired girl. As expected, the bandit fired at exactly the right time for the bullet to ricochet off of the cover just as it met the area behind Kyoko's back. The force of the bullet's contact propelled the chunk of metal just to the left of Kyoko, who took the opportunity of temporary safety by the horns and practically leapt onto the ladder. Hajime stared at the man with the rifle, awaiting the best noise he could hear at a time like this. The clang of the hatch rang out through the street and a small smirk appeared on Hajime's face as his eyes turned a deep shade of crimson. It was time.

With Kyoko out of his sight the bandit lined up his rifle to the origin of the metal grate. A gust of wind moved past him and he felt his rifle leave his hands. A powerful swing of the firearm took the masked man's head clean off, a fountain of blood raining over Izuru. ''Oh shit! Get the fuck over here!'' One of the bandits yelled from his position up the street. A bunch of armoured men ran past him and up towards Izuru. These men were well-armed, the ones at the front holding large assault rifles and even wore makeshift helmets. They knew Izuru was powerful beforehand; it was evident from the attempt at a defensive formation and the heavy preparation. The garrison before him stood in a diamond formation, with the least protected standing at the back. Izuru sighed. _Boring._ He threw the rifle directly into the group, who dodged instinctively. This short lapse of time allowed him to disappear from sight down an alleyway. His stash was somewhere down the dark passage and he was determined to end this as quickly as possible.

He took only a handful of seconds to re-emerge, a rocket launcher in hand and a large rifle strapped to his back. Upon seeing the weapon the group in the centre of the street began to scatter in every direction. It was no use. The RPG was fired and it perfectly exploded in a way that injured or killed the fleeing men. Only 3 from the original 8 were still able to stand, though all had lost their firearms. They chose to withdraw their melee weapons and charge at the stone-faced Ultimate. The first swung his bat at head height but the attack was easily dodged and met with a savage uppercut that shattered the jaw of Izuru's attacker. As fragment of bone and blood splatter landed on him, Izuru effortlessly avoided a swipe from a knife. The second man repeatedly swiped and sliced at Izuru, his comrade a few feet behind waiting to capitalise, a crowbar in his shaking hands. The blade wielder began to tire, his swings losing their width and vicious nature. He suddenly came to a complete stop, raising an arm in an effort to block an attack. Izuru rolled his eyes and ripped the criminal's arm from it's socket and forced it into his torso, the impalement casing the bandit to fall to the ground with a sickening crunch. The last man stood alone and, while there was an attempt at a courageous look on his face, his body shook violently as Izuru casually walked towards him.

''Who sent you?'' The bandit dropped his crowbar as Izuru reached for it, which Izuru regarded with a small huff. ''The King. The King s-sent us.'' He mumbled. ''Who is the King?'' The man almost laughed but thought better of it. ''Wow, you really must've been living in a sewer if you don't know who the King is.'' ''So the King obviously knows me well enough to remember a location I have occupied.'' ''Yeah, King Nidai said he knew a place to find survivors and a lot of food.''

So Nekomaru had survived the blast? It wasn't as if Izuru hadn't considered the possibility; it was an extremely unlikely outcome but it was one Izuru had imagined several times. ''Tell me everything he told you.'' The red-eyed man demanded, making the bandit back slightly further away. ''He told us where to look on the mainland and although it took us a few weeks to sail out here, we were willing to because of what he said you folks had. He also mentioned some 'really pretty' women. He even said that there was this real sexy gamer girl that we could have to ourselves if we- URK'' Izuru held the man by his throat, his eyes holding a dark glow. He grabbed the mans left leg with his free hand and gripped him sideways in front of him. He kept a vice grip around the man's throat, his violent choking the only sound in the dark street. They would soon be silenced, as Izuru pulled as hard as he could on either side of him and tore him in two.

Blood and guts coated the floor in front of Izuru, and though he stayed silent as he watched the life quickly drain out of his eyes, he could sense remorse. He dropped the pieces of the corpse and turned back towards the hatch, a huge crater along the road and over half a dozen corpses in his wake. The only possible island they could have departed from that would provide them in such a way was Jabberwock Island, which was roughly 2 months of sailing away (given the boat was a sail barge and not a propelled one). Nekomaru would be expecting their return in that same time frame. If no one was to return, it would prove that the group still resided here. That would mean that Nekomaru himself would probably 'pay a visit.' That meant that they had either 4 months to prepare for his arrival, likely with Akane, or that he was already on his way with more firepower.

He opened the hatch, closed it behind him and leapt all the way down to the bottom. ''Superhero landing!'' Ibuki screamed with glee as she and the others made their way to greet the boy. The rest of the group did not share her enthusiasm. They had heard the explosion and the screams that followed seconds after. Izuru didn't help himself by being covered in blood, either. ''Do not attempt to ask me any questions. I will tell all of you what I learned and what I did in a moment.'' He spoke clearly as he wandered to Hajime and Chiaki's room. The rest of the group looked worriedly amongst themselves for roughly 3 minutes before Izuru came out of his room, his journal in hand. His eyes were a light brown and his face was downcast. He was shirtless now, probably due to his dress shirt being coated in blood. He immediately quickened his pace and threw his arms around Chiaki. He softly stroked her hair and whispered into her ear. He let her go after a few seconds. ''Everybody please sit. What I have to say may take some time.'' Most of the Ultimates chose to sit on the two couches, with Byakuya, Gundham and Toko decided to simply stand; the Author was nervously looking at the empty space next to Aoi on the end of the first couch, clearly considering whether to sit down. Hajime quickly ran back to his room and emerged with a new shirt, this one was more of a tee than a formal one. He stood in front of the TV so that as many people could see and hear him.

''Those of you who don't remember your lives at Hope's Peak won't remember the person I'm about to speak about. For now, all you have to know is that he was a student and part of the 77th class.'' He regarded the sofa on his left, where Nekomaru's former classmates were sitting. ''The men that attacked Kyoko and I were bandits. They were sent to our exact location by someone who knows that this is where we live. That someone is Nekomaru Nidai, the former Ultimate Team Manager. From what _he_ could glean from one of his men, it'll take some time before he can reach us. It should take roughly 4 months if Izuru's assumption of where he lives is correct. Who he brings and his reasons behind coming for us is unknown though I can guess why he is.'' ''And why would that be?'' Byakuya asked condescendingly. Hajime regarded him straight faced as he could. ''He needs us for something. Important, I would assume.'' The majority of them knew what it truly meant when he said that. It meant that Nekomaru needed Hajime, purely for his talents. The true mystery was which of his thousands of talents he would need so desperately as to travel for months to find them.

''For now, rest easy. I'll be preparing this place for whatever may be thrown at us but please bear in mind that if they have something I can't prepare for, then we may have to move out and away somewhere he wouldn't expect us to be.'' The rest of the group looked dejected, the thought of moving out of there home was a sad one, especially if it meant that they could potentially end up somewhere far less comfortable. Hajime turned to Makoto. ''I'm sorry that I couldn't prepare us for this. You and your group haven't even been here a day and may already be forced to move. In the meantime, please enjoy the time that you have here. It will hopefully be quite a bit better than life in the Academy.'' Makoto gave him a nod accompanied with a small smile that said, 'it's okay.' ''Okay, that's about it. If you ever feel endangered or have any needs or wants, don't be afraid to talk to me. _Please.''_ He seemed almost desperate to prove that Izuru wasn't a threat to them. That he was trustworthy. He stood out of the way of the TV, handing Chiaki a PS4 controller as he left for his room. He patted Makoto's shoulder once as he passed him. A symbol of reassurance. It was small but necessary.

It was quite late now; 9pm had come faster than they'd ever thought it would. Aoi practically sprinted to the shower to get in it first, an angry Hiro yelling as he attempted to catch her. Byakuya skulked off to the room Makoto had assumed to be his own but made sure to tell Toko to shower before she came into his room. Byakuya had actually allowed Toko to sleep in the same room as him. It wasn't as if they were sharing a bed but having The Ultimate Murderous Fiend in the same room was sure to be a deterrent, right? Maybe the Heir was warming up to the shy girl. But he doubted it. Kyoko rested her head on Makoto's shoulder again. The others were making their way to their rooms; Fuyuhiko and Peko had the second room along the right side and Mahiru and Ibuki clearly shared the third. If Chiaki and Hajime shared the first then Makoto and his friends had the pick of any of the other rooms. Speaking of rooms, he had to ask Kyoko if she and him were sharing a room. Even more pressing than that was the question of if they were sharing a bed. He looked down at the Detective. ''So, uh…. Are we-'' ''Room 5. I've already pushed the beds together. We're having a shower first.'' Makoto couldn't really be surprised at her actions. It was Kyoko. ''So are you having one first or do you want me to?'' Kyoko took her head off his shoulder to look into his eyes. ''What part of 'we're having a shower' was unclear?'' Makoto turned beet red. ''A-Are you sure? I can wait if you want?'' He sounded as shaky as he was. Kyoko gave him the eyes. ''Please?'' How could he say no when she made puppy dog eyes? Well, her version of puppy dog eyes. That meant that her harsh brow raised slightly and her straight lips dropped down about half an inch. ''O-Okay. After Hiro.'' Kyoko seemed content and rested her head on him again.

Junko sat in the armchair across from him. She had an enormous shit-eating grin on her face but chose to look backdown into a different magazine. Aoi exited the bathroom in her normal booty shorts but had on her bra. Hiro couldn't help but say 'wow' as he stared blatantly. Aoi ran past him and into Mahiru and Ibuki's room. Hiro, having watched her the whole way, had to be ushered into the bathroom by a loud 'cough' from Kyoko. Hiro yelped and slammed the door behind him as he went to wash. Makoto occupied himself by waiting to see how Aoi dressed when she left the Photographer's room. It wasn't a long wait, with Aoi coming out dressed in cat-themed pyjamas. They were clearly Ibuki's judging by the theme and hugged Aoi in all the right areas…. Makoto mentally slapped himself. He was literally going to shower with his girlfriend in a few minutes. Another 5 or 6 minutes passed and Hiro popped his head around the door, his hair down and still slightly damp. He looked like a wet porcupine in a towel. He quickly rushed into one of the rooms, only to be met with a scream. Hiro bolted out of the room, barely managing to cover himself with the towel in one hand over his junk and his clothes in the other. Aoi poked her head out of the room he had been in and directed him to the 7th room, the only free room due to Gundham taking the last one along. Kyoko quickly stood while stretching before turning to drag the now nervous Makoto to his feet. ''Don't worry, Makoto. I've seen you and you've seen me. Just focus on washing me and not groping me until we get to our room.'' Makoto was being dragged behind her but could practically see her mischievous grin. Junko watched them all the way and stood as soon as the door slammed. She chuckled menacingly. Time to get to work. Chiaki squinted in suspicion as Junko wandered into the 5th room.

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After a shower that seemed to ooze awkwardness and sexual tension, the Detective and the Luckster emerged in nightwear Kyoko had found in a drawer in their room earlier. Hajime was so thoughtful it was strange. Makoto had very silky blue pyjamas and Kyoko wore a purple night dress that stopped just above the knee. He would've been staring at her legs had he not been looking directly at her ass for about 10 minutes in the shower. He'd never admit it and would never have had the guts to try anything, especially if he didn't know what kind of mood she was in. They opened the door to their room, only to see Junko sleeping directly in the middle of the makeshift double bed. She was under the covers and laying on her back. Makoto sighed. ''I'll get her up. She can sleep on one of the couches.'' Makoto threw the blanket off of her and yelled out in surprise. Kyoko too looked shocked but quickly scowled at the sleeping girl. Did she really have to sleep in the nude? In their bed? Makoto turned away from the Fashionista and tried to focus on something else. This was obviously an effort to gain his attention and probably his lust. He couldn't give in. Not when he was going to get laid again. Not when Kyoko was in the room and was waiting for the 'hope.'

The lavender-haired girl grabbed Junko by her foot and dragged her off the bed, the blonde beginning to grasp at the covers in desperation as she fell from the mattress. She laid on the floor for a few seconds before standing with a huff. She grabbed her clothes from under the bed (sneaky spot, Makoto thought) and got dressed as slowly as possible to draw it out. As soon as her last button was done up Kyoko pushed her out of the room, throwing her boots and tie out after her. Kyoko swiftly closed the door and bolted it. She turned to Makoto, who was already laying on the bed, twiddling his thumbs. Kyoko crawled up the bed at him, stopping to lay her head on his chest. ''You ready?'' She asked as seductively as she could, a hint of pink present on her face. Makoto gave her a confident smirk. ''For you, _always.''_

 **Thanks for reading this chapter! If my use of [] wasn't clear, that's how I intend to do scene transitions. I've tried it so many different ways and this seems to be the only thing that has worked. I deliberately worked around lemon in case people weren't too keen on it or comfortable with it, but if people really want to see any at some point, leave a review. That way I can get an idea about how many people want to see it. Thanks again!**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Thank you so much for your reviews! As a writer it means so much to see people enjoying what I'm putting out. I really hope that I'm improving as I continue to write this story and by the end of this I hope to be as best a writer as I can be. Not that the end is coming soon, mind you. I intend to continue this for as long as it doesn't overstay it's welcome. Enjoy the chapter!**

Makoto woke up with a numb arm and cold toes. His left foot was hanging out of the bed and the blanket was barely covering him at all. Luckily his right arm was both numb and warm due to Kyoko having wrapped herself around it. This was the most innocent expression he had ever seen on her face. The way her mouth was slightly open. The way strands of her hair rested on her face. It reminded him how beautiful she was. Now was the difficult part. How was he going to get out of bed without waking her up? Screw it, he may as well wake her up. He stroked her hair a few times and left her hand on her cheek until her eyes fluttered open. She let out a small groan before propping herself up onto her elbows, Makoto instantly taking the opportunity to retract his arm and try to gain some feeling in it. Kyoko looked at him with tired eyes before groaning and falling face first onto his pectoral.

''Do we have to get up?'' She mumbled into his flesh, her hot breath making him slightly jumpy. ''It's probably early, we don't have to.'' ''It's not.'' Makoto jolted up and looked to the door. Junko stood with an unusually straight expression on her face. ''It's 1pm. You've been asleep for 14 hours.'' Makoto looked at Kyoko, who turned around in the bed, making sure to hold the blanket over her chest. Her face was a scowl and her fist clenched the covers tightly. ''You know the exact moment we stopped having sex?'' She barely got out, seething with rage. ''Duh. I was listening to you. Right there.'' The Fashionista opened the door slightly and pointed to a spot on the floor by the crack in the door. She turned back to the couple with an enormous grin. ''You were at it for about… an hour? 45 minutes?'' Kyoko reached down the side of her bed and grabbed her underwear before putting them on under the covers. She swung her legs off the bed and pushed Junko out of the room like she had the previous night. The Detective turned and sighed to her boyfriend. ''We need a new lock for this door.''

Makoto found it strange waking up with no clothes on. In the Academy, he always slept in his clothes and as far as he could remember, he had always slept in at least his underwear. It was also a strange feeling waking up next to someone. He had experienced it once before but it never became less awkward or embarrassing. He supposed it would, with time. They got dressed quickly and both headed for the bathroom to brush their teeth. Hajime stopped them along the way and, after normal morning greetings, handed the pair their toothbrushes and towels. The two freshened up and headed out towards the couches, where Chiaki and Ibuki were already occupied with Mario Kart. Mahiru sat on the same couch, though she was preoccupied with feeding the baby. The bottle of formula was remarkably shiny, a reminder that Hajime was an extreme perfectionist when it came to the wellbeing of his child.

Fuyuhiko and Peko were once again playing at the pool table but Fuyuhiko seemed preoccupied by resting his hands on her stomach. There was a small bump, but from most angles there was little to display her pregnancy. It was very sweet to watch. Maybe he and Kyoko could be like that one day. He could talk about it at some point, when they were both ready. The others were spread around the room; Byakuya sat at the table with a cup of coffee so the couple decided to take a seat across from him. He put his magazine down and stared very disapprovingly at the two of them. ''Did your fornication honestly have to go on for some 50 minutes?'' Makoto turned bright red and stared at the floor. Kyoko scowled at him. ''Did it keep you awake?'' Makoto asked sheepishly. Byakuya smirked. ''No, I didn't actually know that you'd done such things. But thank you for confirming my suspicions.'' Kyoko stood sharply and headed over to the kitchen. ''You knew that I was going to do that didn't you?'' The Luckster asked with a sigh. ''But of course. It was obvious she'd know where I was going. It's lucky you're so open. That said, it's not a bad thing you two are having relations. I'm actually quite in favour of it.'' The smirk softened to something of genuine content for a brief moment before it hardened into a straight line as he picked his magazine back up. Kyoko arrived back at the table with two bowls of cereal. Kyoko had prepared some Weetabix with bananas and strawberries. Even the milk was at the exact height he liked.

''Wife material…'' He mumbled under his breath. His eyes shot open and he looked at Kyoko out of the corner of his eye. There was a dusting of pink on her cheeks. Oh god. She _had_ heard him. He ate the rest of his breakfast in content silence (as silent as it could be with Byakuya attempting to correct his eating etiquette). The two finished at almost the same time and both made their way to the kitchen to wash up. They put their bowls in the sink and Kyoko placed her hand on the faucet before being interrupted. ''I'll do that later. It'll only take me about 10 seconds. I'd like to show you the farm today, Makoto. Are you free to leave now?'' Makoto looked at the Detective before turning back to his upperclassman and giving him a small nod. ''Great. Follow me and we'll head out.'' Makoto mustered up the courage to peck Kyoko on the cheek before following, an act that embarrassed them both greatly. Hajime stopped at the foot of the ladder and allowed Makoto up before him in case his luck caused him to fall. It seemed like a shorter climb than descent.

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The pair attempted idle chat during the short walk, the hill providing the longest conversation topic. The fence to the farm was lined with barbed wire and the gate was large enough to allow a truck to drive up to the farmhouse. The slopes were where the fields were with the dirt path splitting it in two as it led in a straight line up to the farmhouse which was directly at the top of the hill. The rustic, wooden house was not only quite large but allowed an amazing advantage point over the outskirts below the hills peak. It was roughly a 10 minute walk to the farms gate and another 5 from gate to front door. As Hajime produced the key to the house, Makoto took the opportunity to question him.

''So, what are you growing in the fields? You have two small fields so…'' Hajime ushered him through the door and closed the door behind them. ''The field on the left hand side at the gate is potatoes and the right hand side is half carrots/ half cabbage. We used to have wheat but we had a particularly bad harvest and gave up with it.'' Makoto looked around the houses interior; homely and quiet were the first two words that sprung to mind as he poked his head into the living room. There was a small couch and footstall. There were even more magazine here than at the shelter. ''There's no TV or board games here. We need to have something to do during breaks.'' Hajime's voice rang out from the kitchen. Psychic. Makoto walked into the kitchen to see a small breakfast table and some basic cabinets and shelves. There was a lot of canned food scattered around, cans of various foods were thrown in a huge garbage bin in the corner of the room. Hajime turned and walked upstairs to continue his silent impromptu tour. There was just one large room on the next floor. There were 6 beds in a row and the rest of the room was almost barren.

''This is where you should go in a worst case scenario. If people know you're here, you can use the beds to block the stairs. The reason I brought you here was because you need to know about this the most. You can not only lead your friends here but come here alone and wait for me. I'll save you. I swear it.'' The Ultimate Ultimate's face fell but he recovered to give Makoto a warm smile. ''Now then. I need to get a few tools to create Junko's 'cell' today.'' He leapt directly up and grabbed onto the attic's ladder release. He brought it back down with him as he fell and climbed as quick as a flash. He clambered back down and threw the ladder up perfectly so that the hatch locked itself. He held another metal bar and a series of power tools. ''Well, we should be off.''

Hajime strode back down the stairs and waited at the door for the Luckster to catch him up. Makoto walked out the front door and turned back to Hajime. The taller boy let the door shut before throwing all of the tools and materials into the air. He swiftly pulled out the key and locked the door in time to catch all of the items as soon as they were level with his arms. Makoto stood in awe; even somewhat simple things looked amazing when Hajime did them. Hajime nodded for Makoto to walk back down the path. ''Oh, by the way… You and Kyoko look good together. Like, really good. Natural couple, I guess.'' Makoto smiled bashfully. ''I mean you and Chiaki are practically Superman and Lois Lane.'' Hajime laughed loudly before slowing slightly. ''She's Superwoman in my book. She's the glue that holds me together.'' Makoto and he both shared a warm, knowing smile. They both had important women in their lives. Women that loved them enough to support them even when death seemed certain. Speaking of important women, a thought sprung to Makoto's mind.

''By the way, did Peko never ask you to make her a prosthetic arm?'' Hajime shrugged and shuffled the tools around in his hands. ''I offered but she refused. I assume that losing her arm was important to her relationship with Fuyuhiko. She's never told me why she doesn't want one, so it's probably symbolic of their love. The only time I've ever seen her use any type of aide is when she plays pool. She's good enough to do that with one arm anyway.'' Hajime chuckled softly to himself. Makoto smirked slightly. He would ask Peko later. If she was willing to share.

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It as about half 2 when the two antennae-having boys returned to the shelter. Makoto had been distracted by several bookstores and novelty girt shop stores. By the time they had come back Makoto held a bag full of figurines and novels. He dumped it out onto the dining table and let the group pick whatever they fancied. It was when everyone had gathered that he noticed that Gundham was absent. ''Hey, did anyone see Gundham leave? Do we know where he went?'' Ibuki slammed a hand onto the Luckster's shoulder, startling the short boy. ''Gun-Gun went back to his Rapunzel tower. He should be back soon so the gloom can rock on!'' She motioned the rock hand before grabbing a music magazine and sprinting to get a space on the couch.

Makoto chewed the inside of his cheek and looked towards Mahiru, who looked over a contemporary art book. She seemed glued into the pages but was aware enough to feel is eyes upon her and meet his gaze. She gave him a look that said, 'he'll be fine.' He returned a nod and allowed her to return to her reading. Byakuya had made a strange and foolhardy decision to pick up War and Peace. Not only was the book in English but it was ancient, even by The Heir's normal reading standards. It would be dreadfully dull to anyone but Byakuya, he thought. Kyoko sat on the couch with Aoi, who was practically ranting about the lack of exercise she was able to do. It was 'totally not enough' according to the tanned girl. Toko sat awkwardly on The Swimmer's left opening her mouth to say things on occasion but had evidently let her social ineptitude get the better of her, as she contributed nothing to the conversation. On the couch opposite Hajime sat with his feet on the footrest, Chiaki curled up at his side with her head resting on his chest. They had moved the crib into the main room evidently, as Hiyoko lay asleep just in front of the couch.

Ibuki sat on the floor cross-legged next to the crib, an XBOX controller in her hand and Sunset Overdrive on the TV. Hiro sat in the armchair and watched her play intently. Upon further inspection his eyes were slightly glazed. Had he managed to sneak some of his 'special' stash out of the Academy? As long as it didn't make him do anything too stupid he wouldn't have to take it up with him. He decided to leave his potential book on the table and play pool with the Swordswoman and the Yakuza, who stood at the table as they had every time he'd seen them together. The short blonde grinned widely as he saw the brown haired boy approaching. ''Feel like playing some pool, kid?'' Makoto nodded and reached under the table for a cue. When he couldn't feel one his head sprung back over the edge of the table to see Fuyuhiko offering him his. ''I gotta go piss. You can finish up this game while I'm in the can.'' He thrust the wooden pole into his hands and hurried over to the toilet.

A lucky break considering it would be awkward to ask one whilst the other was standing with them. Peko gripped the cue at it's end and laid it on the cushion of the table. She wasn't even using what remained of her left arm to steady herself. She lined the tip of the cue up with the white ball and shifted her arm forwards, sending the white flying into the pink which nestled into the bottom left pocket. So they were playing snooker? He supposed that would explain all the other ball colours. There were few reds left on the table so Makoto assumed it was a long way into the match. But if it was still Peko's turn, then had Fuyuhiko not potted a single ball? She was good. As she stood up straight and turned towards him, Makoto asked his question with no hesitation. ''Why don't you use a prosthetic? For you arm? That was obvious actually…'' He mumbled most of it but Peko still heard him clearly enough to answer. ''My lack of an appendage does not make me any less powerful as a weapon. I can still serve Fuyuhiko as I did before. My master does not require much protection now that the world has seemingly ended and his enemies along with it.'' Makoto regarded her thoughtfully, a look of discontent evident on his face. ''And that's all there is to it?'' Peko shook her head. ''Losing my arm is what spurred Fuyuhiko to admit his feelings for me. He admitted for the first time that not only did he see me as an equal but that he loved me as well.'' She smiled warmly to herself, the expression not meant for anyone else as she stared at the ground.

''Had you ever told anyone that before?'' The Luckster asked, the nervousness in his voice gone. ''No.'' ''Why not?'' Peko gave him a strange look. ''No one asked.'' Makoto's face demonstrated his frustration. So Hajime hadn't even asked her. The way he'd phrased it made it sound as if she refused to give her motives. However this made for another line of inquiry. ''How'd you lose your arm?'' He asked slowly, the clearest question being the least offensive in his mind.

''My young master had discovered the truth about the death of his sister. She was murdered by a fellow student at Hope's Peak's Reserve Course and a friend of Mahiru. Mahiru had not only witnessed the murder but helped her friend get away with it. He ran out of the shelter during the night in his despair and was captured by outsiders. Hajime and I went to rescue him and during this rescue I was attacked from several angles. I lost my arm to one of the men in front of Fuyuhiko. He went into a blind rage and killed the men that remained with their own weapons. Hajime kept the other approaching men off him to allow him to vent his anger. We returned home and I was fixed up as best as we could manage. Fuyuhiko came into my room during my recovery yesterday and broke down into tears. He told me he was afraid he would lose me and that I was the most important thing left in the world to him. I too confessed my emotions for him and we came to an agreement. I would no longer think of myself as a tool and he would no longer be hot-headed and irresponsible. A few days after I recovered we conceived our child. That was about 13 weeks ago.'' Peko rested a hand on her baby bump and met Makoto's eyes with a small smile. ''How'd she play, pal?!'' Fuyuhiko yelled despite only being less than halfway across the room. ''Like she was a person with two arms I would assume.'' The blond says as he reached the end of the table. Makoto nodded and handed the cue back to him, only then realising he hadn't had a single shot and mentally facepalming.

''Hey, Ibuki.'' The pink-blue girl paused her game and turned up to Hajime who still sat with his feet on the stool. ''Can you go take his hamster food to him? He left without it. I'd go myself but I don't think I'd be welcome.'' Ibuki shot up onto her feet, stumbling slightly as her sandal bent outwards. Ibuki grabbed the rodent food from the kitchen and a book from the table before heading up the ladder. It was time to pay the Breeder a visit.

 **I'd like to end this by apologizing. I realise that this chapter is a lot later than I've been updating of late, but there is a least a god excuse. I was given 4 essays to complete in the** **the space of a week, as well as having a Psychology exam to study for. I hope that all my chapters in future are uninterrupted by excessive work, though that is unlikely. Thank you for reading!**

 **Next time-Ibuki and Gundham's friendship will be explored**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hello! I'll start by mentioning a huge spell error in the last chapter. The line about Peko and Fuyuhiko was supposed to have 'the next day' instead of 'yesterday.' Don't know how that happened. (its me being dumb lol) Another thing I'd like to address is the lemons I was considering writing. No one has voiced any negative thoughts on this so I'll take that as people wanting or not minding it. Lemon won't play a major part and wont happen very frequently but it'll be there. Enjoy the chapter!**

He sat alone in his tower, the barren room having little in the way of entertainment. Then again, he wouldn't want it anyway. He had to meditate. It was the only way to relieve both his never-ceasing stress and his paranoia. He sat on his bedroll and faced towards the main enormous window. There were three in this tower room, giving it the feeling and appearance of a prison guard tower, minus the men armed with rifles. There was only one way up to him; the flight of stairs leading up from the sidewalk were shiny and looked new. He had his back to the entryway, his eyes closed as he plunged himself deep in thought. ''I've been thinkin'. Kinda strange how of _allllll_ the people ya know, I was the one to become a figment of your imagination. Weird how it all works out, huh?'' Gundham's eyes opened and flicked to the right side window.

Kazuichi Soda was both a creation of his own mind and one that he already knew in life. ''Be silent, fiend. Now is not the time for conversation but one of silent reflection.'' ''But that's boring, man!'' Gundham sighed and closed his eyes again. Soda had been an illusionary phantom in the dark depths of his malevolent mind for what seemed like a millennia. But the Dark Overlord of Ice could silence this powerful persona with concentration. ''Hey, do you miss her?'' Gundham furrowed his brow and squeezed his eyes shut further. ''Sonia, I mean. How often do you think about her?'' Gundham's face fell and he scrunched up his face. He exhaled strongly. ''Not a day passes where I don't think of her. At first it was in grief but as time decayed, I recall our company in as positive a light I can fathom.'' ''Then why don't you join us? She'd love to see you again and so would the rest of the class.'' The dark-haired boy kept a straight face. ''I've told you several times and I will tell you again. You cannot lure me to the afterlife through falsehood and promise of newfound love.'' ''Who you talking to Gun-Gun?''

A feminine voice echoed through the large single room. ''Kazuichi again?'' Ibuki asked as she approached, hamster food in hand. They could obviously smell the good as they peered out of the folds in Gundham's scarf. ''Yes, I am beginning to regret allowing him to suggest such horrible actions.'' Ibuki tore open the bag of food and poured it into 4 small bowls that Gundham had placed next to his bedroll. The Four Dark Devas of Destruction gradually made their way out of the scarf and over to the newly-placed sustenance. Ibuki put the bag aside, never breaking her line of sight with Gundham's face. ''Why don't you talk to Hajime about this? He's got quite a few mindy-type talents up in his big ol' brain.'' Gundham tried not to look away from her but gave in and looked at the Devas who were coming to the end of their meal. Ibuki was the only one who knew about Kazuichi. She was the only one he had truly been able to confide in. Especially when something about Sonia or Kazuichi came up. She had witnessed their deaths the same way he had and it showed in their conversation.

There was only one aspect of that day that he couldn't relate to and as much as he sought to comfort his musical friend, he couldn't muster the courage to bring it up for fear of crippling her mentally. Sexual assault was something he had witnessed several times in his life on television and real life but he was too young to remember how the victims had felt in the aftermath. Perhaps it was better that way. ''I find it difficult to trust him. While Hajime cannot remember what Izuru has done, his darker self remains ever vigilant in the catacombs of his mind when he does not retain control over the material.'' Ibuki frowned. It was true that Izuru was always 'home' even when Hajime was in control but would Izuru use something like that to his advantage even if he did become aware of it? She was unsure and she assumed Hajime would be as well. ''Why not tell Makoto? Big Mac seems trustworthy. And he's probably got a way to fix it. He always seemed to in the game at least…'' She trailed off, waiting for an answer from the Breeder. Gundham seemed to ponder for a moment. Ibuki seemed content in waiting for his mind to think it over as she watched the Devas form a hamster pyramid on Gundham's pillow.

''The meek one.'' Ibuki met his gaze. ''The one with the glasses and the distorted mind that splits into two dastardly beings of existence. Do you think she may have wisdom she wishes to pass on to someone experiencing the same affliction?'' Ibuki nodded and urged him to give a reason why he'd turn to arguably the most emotionally unstable of the 78th class. ''She may provide insight into what it truly means to be of two minds but of one body. If not in her average, powerless form, then perhaps in her most unfavourable one?'' Ibuki gave him a wide grin. This was small progress but progress none the less. He'd actually chosen to speak to someone other than her about his problems! Gundham doing that was the equivalent of finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. She reached forwards and clasped his hands. She leaned in slightly and showed off her grin as clearly as she could. Her smile was infectious and soon Gundham returned a small smirk of his own. Ibuki released her grip on his ringed fingers and stood sharply before practically sprinting to the door to the stairs. ''Drop by tomorrow Gundy?'' She asked with a raised brow. Gundham bobbed his head in accordance and Ibuki giggled before running down the stairs. ''She always was one of the good ones, huh?'' Kazuichi leaned back in the computer chair by the main control panel. Gundham found himself nodding at the ghost as he flexed his fingers. Her hands were warm.

 **And that's all she wrote! I wanted to write another chapter to make up for me being late with my last update so here it is! If you want to see more shorter exposition-based chapters like this in-between larger chapters, leave a review or PM me! Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Hello! I hope the last chapter was a nice short read to bridge the gap. It will be made up for by this chapter, which will be significantly longer. Enjoy!**

Makoto woke up to the small weight on him again, though this time it was more on his chest than his arm. Kyoko was once again laying on him and while he appreciated that she was comfortable enough to do that, this was the fifth morning in a row she'd done this. It was still a surprise that he had woken before her this many days straight. At least Junko wasn't at the foot of the bed as she was the streak had begun. Hajime had finally cobbled a cell together. He took the door of the now vacant 9th room and replaced it with one that had both bars and a slot in which to pass a tray of food. Hajime didn't trust himself with the only key, which essentially meant he didn't trust Izuru with the sole way of entering the room of a women he intended to murder viciously. Who could blame him? By very undemocratic means Byakuya was presented with the key, the Heir being the only one both harsh enough and resistant enough to goading ad insults to deal with the day to day pestering of the Fashionista. She was allowed to stroll freely for hour intervals twice daily, most of which she spent attempting to cuddle Makoto (much to Kyoko's chagrin) or seduce him. She had, over the last three days of imprisonment, managed to play pool with Ibuki and look through Mahiru's photo albums. They were quickly reminded never to do that again as the majority of her time doing that was spent reminding them that their friends were indeed dead. The others were allowed into her cell but only Hajime frequently entered, mainly in the interest of psychological assessment than idle chatter. He believed himself to be making progress but it was evident on the face of Chiaki, who usually stood outside the cell or in its doorway during the assessment, that little had worked on restoring the disturbed mind of the mass extinctionist. Junko seemed to be as freakishly chipper as ever, perhaps more so now that she could only see Makoto for a maximum of two short hours a day. That meant that all of the usual day-length teasing had to be fit into that small time frame and Junko intended to achieve that. She wore as little as possible around Makoto at first, which essentially led to Chiaki and Ibuki dressing her before she stepped out of her cell. For now, he had little to worry about in regard to The Mastermind.

The last few days had been quiet. Hajime seemed to be hovering around the hatch more often as the days went on, clearly trying to prep the shelter for whatever Nekomaru threw at them. They still had just under three months to prepare for it but it was still ever-present in their minds. Hajime had also been seen taking a lot of bags, mainly suitcases and backpacks, into the kitchen and then into the small store room. He had clearly begun prepping already but the question was; was it reassuring that Hajime was already getting his things together or was it a sign that Nekomaru was extremely powerful? The latter made him quite fearful for himself and those around him. Who amongst them had the capacity to defeat someone capable of matching Sakura Oogami? Hajime was obviously a standout. He clearly had superhuman abilities and intelligence of a prodigal level. Toko, as Genocide Jack, could also provide some attacking threat but none a defensive one. She was capable of dodging and quickly performing precise attacks but she was no powerhouse. She could easily be taken down in a single, strong hit. The rest of his group had little experience in both fighting and dealing with those with extreme power. Even those in Hajime's group had little to offer in terms of protection. Peko was an obvious example of a capable warrior but she had limitations. Her arm (and her eyesight, potentially) were two major factors. Gundham certainly looked dangerous but whether or not he could perform in the heat of battle was sceptical. He could easily tame large animals if any could be found. Could Fuyuhiko fight? He certainly seemed like that would be a skill he possessed as a yakuza. That just left the other girls. He couldn't see Mahiru or Ibuki as someone who could fight, especially in a situation of someone with superior strength. That meant that he and Kyoko would have to step up. _He'd_ have to step up. He'd need to start training if he wanted to be useful. He'd start as soon as possible. First, he'd have to shuffle out from underneath Kyoko.

''Hey Hajime?'' The taller boy peered over the kitchen counter from his crouching position. ''Can you start training me to fight?'' Hajime chuckled and stood, pan in hand. He closed a cupboard and placed the pan on the countertop. ''I thought you'd want this sooner or later. You considered who could protect us, correct?'' Makoto gave a brisk nod. ''I would prefer that there wasn't a position that I wasn't available to protect you. However, I can't deny the possibility that you may not be able to call for me. So, yeah. I'll train you. It'll start slow and we'll work at your pace, even if you feel like you're moving too slow. You won't be, FYI.'' Makoto gave him a large smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. ''Thank you. I wont let you down.'' Hajime returned an equally enthusiastic expression. ''I know you won't; you're the Ultimate Hope.'' He grabbed the pan and turned towards the hob. He placed the pan on it and reached over to the left of the oven. He grabbed an egg and cracked it, the contents dripping into the metal container. The sound of frying was almost instant and Makoto knew that Hajime was the Ultimate Chef. He faced Makoto and told him to get Chiaki. He trudged to the couples room and pushed open the door. ''WOAH!'' He spun away and looked at the floor. She had just finished breastfeeding and he saw it! He sputtered and tried to find the words to tell her about breakfast but found himself inept. He felt her hand on his shoulder and he turned hesitantly. She had put them away, at least. ''It's okay. It happens a lot. You get used to it eventually, definitely when people like Gundham see it.'' She giggled into her hand and wandered sleepily to her husband. ''You see something you shouldn't have?'' Once again Makoto jumped and yelped. ''Kyoko! Don't scare me like that…'' The Detective gave him a sarcastic smirk. She wore her usual skirt and formal shirt but left her hair down and her jacket off. This had become her common look before 11'o'clock as she usually went out for fresh air about that point. ''You didn't answer my question, Makoto.'' She kept her knowing smile. ''I saw… Chiaki breastfeeding.'' He squeezed his eyes shut and waited to be reprimanded. He was surprised to hear the clack of her heeled boots as she brushed past him. ''Well I expected nothing less from a man of your luck.'' 'You're not mad?'' Kyoko looked back and gave him a quizzical look. ''Why would I be? It was bound to happen sooner or later. I was actually expecting it to be finding Ibuki nude or something similar.'' Makoto exhaled sharply, the joke too realistic to laugh openly at. He hurried behind her to the table and sat at her side. ''What's your plan for today?'' He heard from the kitchen. Hajime was putting several breakfasts on their respective plates, expecting an answer. ''I… don't think we have one.'' Makoto replied, turning to Kyoko who confirmed with a nod. ''Great! In that case, I'd like you two to go to the city with Mahiru and Ibuki. Mahiru wants to take some more photos and Ibuki wants whatever Ibuki wants. You'll be back before 4, probably.'' ''Can we look for stuff to keep ourselves entertained?'' Kyoko asked, only realising the partial insult as she finished. ''I guess you'll find something cool to take back along the way.'' He marched to the table, balancing 4 plates in his hands. Chiaki trailed him and yawned as she flopped into her seat. He had never seen someone so tired yet so energetic. He had made omelettes for all of them, somehow managing to make it look and taste restaurant quality in roughly 10 minutes of cooking. Chiaki basically swallowed the plate whole, eating the entire meal in what seemed like a matter of seconds. Hajime was a stark comparison. He had barely touched his plate, picking at the food and toying with the idea of trying his world-class meal. ''Do you not find your own cooking as delicious as everyone else does?'' Makoto asked with a nervous smile. He had butchered that attempt to start conversation. ''Not really. It tastes good but not as good as Chiaki's cooking. She makes a mean microwave meal.'' Chiaki puffed her cheeks and slapped her husband's arm. ''I can make big meals like you, ya know. It's just easier to make ramen and stuff when you're binging a game for 12 hours.'' Hajime giggled and ruffled her hair. Chiaki tried to say 'stop it' but was interrupted by her own laughter as her partner began tickling her sides. They were interrupted by a loud crash as Chiaki knocked a plate to the floor in her squirming, shattering it. ''Ah, shit.'' Hajime knelt and scooped up the pieces in a flash. ''Sorry, sweetheart.'' Chiaki pushed her glass further from the edge of the table instinctively. Her orange juice sat in the container almost unchanged by the altercation. ''HEEEYYYY! I'M HUNGRY!'' The two couples turned to the ninth room. Junko stood at her door with the blanket draped over her. She seemed genuine in her complaint and Hajime strode over to the countertop. He picked up a plate of food and threw it across the room. It spun in what seemed like slow motion and contacted the floor a few feet before the door. It slid after it contacted, coming to a stop a few inches short of the Fashionista's feet. She gave a wry thumbs up before crouching down and retrieving her meal. She slithered out of sight, leaving the four at the table to her own devices. ''Anything on the task list today, Hajime?'' Makoto stretched as he inquired. ''Not really. I guess you could just chill and play games?'' Kyoko stayed quiet, revelling in Makoto's face as he raced Chiaki to the console. She had clearly done this before, finding the quickest route to the controllers. Makoto made a less graceful effort, tripping on the footstool and bumping into the edge of the sofa. By the time he recovered, Chiaki had already started up the PS2 and started Tekken 4. He sat down in a huff, begrudgingly accepting Player 2 from the smug Gamer. Kyoko trudged over and sat behind her boyfriend. Her presence gave an added pressure that was already enormous from playing arguably the best gamer before the world ended and definitely the best gamer after it ended. He had no chance and it showed in his performance. He played Chiaki three times and won none. Kyoko seemed contemplative, sitting in silence with a disgruntled look on her face. A door slammed to their right. Byakuya stood in the doorway, his nightwear shabby and crooked. ''YOU.'' He stormed over to the kitchen and grabbed Hinata by his shirt. Hinata stayed still, allowing him to hold him in place. ''When are you going to fix my room?'' Hinata raised an eyebrow. What's wrong with it?'' Byakuya almost fainted judging by the look of paleness on his face. ''You realise that the rooms are not sound-proof? You realise that I can hear Enoshima from my room and I can hear the musical one singing 24/7?'' Hajime chuckled slightly. ''And what do you expect me to do about it?'' Byakuya gripped the fabric of his shirt even harder. ''Why don't you do something a true leader would do and fix it? Or must I do what I am destined to do and lead humanity's last bastion?'' Hajime squinted, trying to gauge whether the sleep deprived Heir was serious or trying to aggravate the Prodigy. ''If you want me to remain amongst your measly ranks then you had better soundproof all of our rooms or Enoshima's alone.'' He let go of his shirt. ''Actually…'' He sped into the store room and emerged with an enormous, thick wooden pallet. ''What are you doing?!'' Hajime shouted as he put down the plates and made a beeline for the Heir. ''This could provide some level of soundproofing. I'll nail it to the wall at my discretion.'' He placed it next to his door and thrust the door open. ''Out, doggy.'' Toko ran out and into the main room. ''Byakuya, let me do this later. You know, when you're not disturbing everyone else's sleep.'' Hajime said in a condescending tone. ''And let you potentially destroy my things, you brute? Perish the thought.'' ''Do you really wanna see how much of a brute I am, buddy?'' He closed the gap between the blonde and himself. Makoto stood and made his way over. He couldn't let it escalate further. Chiaki had done the same and was quickly running to her husband. ''Hajime! Don't let him-'' CRACK! The pallet had fallen in Hajime and Byakuya's struggle over it and hit Chiaki on the head, corner first. Chiaki hit the ground fast, the pallet covering the majority of her unconscious body. Hajime grabbed Byakuya by the throat. His eyes were all the proof they needed to see that he was no longer in control. He threw the tall boy over his shoulder like a pitcher would in baseball, the Heir soaring across the room towards the kitchen. He smashed into the wall between the cabinets and fell into a crumpled heap. Izuru lifted the pallet with a single hand and launched it back towards the door of the store room. It passed the threshold with pinpoint accuracy, though it wasn't as if the crimson-eyed boy was admiring his handiwork. He had lifted Chiaki into a bridal carry and was already making his way to their room. As he passed Makoto he leant in slightly. ''I'm sorry. Please make sure he doesn't have any extreme injuries.'' His voice carried enough emotion to announce that Hajime had some semblance of control again. Makoto did as he was told, sprinting over to his friend, who lay in the foetal position gripping his chest. Kyoko made herself busy wetting a flannel and walked over to Byakuya. He was murmuring and grumbling in his agony. Makoto took the flannel offered to him and put it to the injured boy's forehead. It was strange. If Byakuya were coherent enough to refuse The Luckster's help he was sure he would. But for now they could at least drag him to his room. He had no visible cuts or gashes so it was likely he had horrific bruising across his back and chest from the forceful impact. And it was certainly forceful. There was a crater in the wall where he had made contact and wall was crumbling. The couple lifted him up and began carrying him to his room. Toko, having finally realised the gravity of the situation, sprinted to her prince's side and helped the two lift him slightly easier. She was strangely silent considering the danger he could've been in. It also came as a surprise that Genocide Jack didn't come out at the sight of her love being gravely injured. Maybe even the Ultimate Murderous Fiend knew that she was no match for the Ultimate Ultimate. They managed to get him to his bed and place him as gently as they could, though his scream as his back hit the bed suggested that his injuries were extremely bad. Toko sat on his knees by his bedside. She was as pained emotionally about this as Byakuya was physically. His breathing was ragged and the initial tears were quickly being replaced by new ones. Kyoko skulked out of the room and wandered into the 1st room to check on Chiaki's condition. She too was lain on the bed but without the cries of pain. She had an enormous gash on the right side of her head that Hajime was attempting to sew shut. He glanced up from his position in the chair next to the bed. His eyes displayed apologies he couldn't say with his mouth and Kyoko gave him a small nod. He regretted allowing Izuru access so easily and it showed. She returned to the 6th room and found Aoi and Hiro standing beside the Heir's bed. Aoi was slowly shuffling a pillow under his back and Hiro was… rolling a joint. ''Hiro.'' The Clairvoyant looked towards his Detective friend. 'I-It's not for me, man! It's for him!'' He pointed at the bed-ridden boy. ''It'll numb the pain and relax him and stuff.'' She sighed and crouched down next to the Swimmer. ''Did… Did Hajime do this?'' She asked as she turned to meet the pale girl's eyes. Kyoko nodded and turned to shuffle Byakuya's leg back onto the bed. She could've predicted this and in a way she had. She just hadn't expected something so silly and so trivial to spark Izuru's rage. ''Oh my god.'' Mahiru gingerly made her way towards the bed, peering over Toko's shoulder. ''Guess we're back to unreliable Hajime…'' She said under her breath. Makoto and Ibuki followed her in soon after, the punk rocker holding and ice pack and some painkillers. ''Give these to Booyakasha and the pain should go poof.'' She tossed Aoi the pills; she was the only one amongst them qualified to give medical treatment as she had taken first aid courses as part of lifeguard training. She popped two pills out of the packaging and placed them in his mouth. A bottle of water appeared from Hiro's pockets and Aoi poured some of the cold fluid into his mouth. Byakuya just about swallowed and the group breathed a sigh of relief. Even if something terrible had happened to his spine or any injury similar, he would at least have the pain muted until Hajime could fix it. He was technically the Ultimate Surgeon as well, right? With the right equipment he could do anything, he supposed. ''Peko and Fuyuhiko are making breakfast for you all.'' Hajime stood in the doorframe, a solemn look plastered on his face. ''May I see his injuries?'' Toko stood rapidly and stomped her way towards him. ''W-What makes y-you think you can just w-waltz in here and f-fix him!?'' Her fear had clearly subsided and been replaced by anger. ''How c-could you j-just let yourself do that!?'' Hajime didn't dispute her point with the same level of animosity. ''You, of all people, should know the difficulties of having a violent split personality. I'm sorry that I couldn't stop him. I'm sorry that I let you all down.'' Toko's expression softened for a moment before she closed the gap between them and screamed even louder. ''THEN WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING TO GET RID OF HIM DIPSHIT!?'' Hajime frowned more than Makoto thought humanly possible. ''That's the thing. I don't think I can get rid of him, especially after today.'' Mahiru exhaled sharply. ''You don't mean…'' ''Yes. For the first time since the day I got my body back… in the moment where I hurt Byakuya, I-'' He steadied himself. ''Both Izuru and I were in my mind, in control, at the same time.

 **I hope this doesn't become a common them but- I'm sorry. This chapter is incredibly late and other than typical college stuff I don't really have an excuse. I'd at least like to add that I've been writing another fic at the same time as this but from now on this story takes priority. Thanks for reading, see you next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Hello! This chapter gets the story moving along at a way faster pace, which is severely needed. It also means the end for sitting in the shelter waiting for things to happen as I'm sure some of you thought would be the majority of the next chapters. Enjoy!**

The group were less than happy. Not only had it come to light that Izuru didn't have to be in full control to influence Hajime but Junko had quite literally disappeared during the commotion. That was not only bad for the group but it was also bad news for any other survivors, whether they were friendly or not. Toko, much to her annoyance and worry, had been dragged with a small group of the Ultimates out of Byakuya's room and towards the ladder. Peko, Hajime, Toko and Aoi stood at the foot of their way up, waiting for Makoto to put on his jacket and the walking boots Hajime had managed to get a hold of for him.

The Prodigy had managed to prep all of his expeditionary group with suitable footwear as well as heavy raincoats and large backpacks. He had even gone to the extent of including bedrolls among the essentials within the backpacks, though he was adamant they wouldn't need them. Makoto threw his backpack on and jogged to his comrades. ''Do we have any idea where we're searching first?'' Hajime, for the first time since they'd arrived, didn't have an answer for a simple question. He'd organised this search party and got their gear together but by the looks of him, he was extremely unprepared mentally. ''Well, let's try to get this show on the road!'' Aoi's enthusiasm always put a smile on his face. He took the situation by the horns and almost leapt onto the ladder. Aoi quickly joined him in his ascent, followed by Toko and then Peko. Hajime watched them intently before clambering up himself.

It was somewhat sunny when he poked his head out of the hatch. It was midday now and knowing that everything that had transpired had done so in the space of three hours was a strange thought. He planted his feet on the concrete before offering the Swimmer a hand. She accepted with a dusting of pink on her cheeks before sprinting to the nearest sports store. Even in its awful exterior condition, it was still garish enough to be recognised as a gym. Toko looked even more worried than usual as she hoisted herself over the hatch. She had been horrified by Hajime's request to join them and had taken a good twenty minutes to realise that she was practically necessary if anything went wrong. Mahiru and Kyoko were left to tend to Byakuya, an obvious anxiety trigger. Hajime had more reason to be worried, if anything. Ibuki and Fuyuhiko were watching over Chiaki and neither seemed particularly informed in first aid and providing comfort. Then again, The Musician seemed more intelligent than she let on and Fuyuhiko must've dealt with injury if he was the son of a yakuza, right? Speaking of yakuza, Peko's emotionless eyes peered over the hole and she effortlessly flipped into a guarding stance in front of Makoto.

It was both humbling and embarrassing to be defended by a pregnant girl. He should've been protecting her. Hajime shut the hatch after himself and stared out into the distance. ''Search all the stores. If there's anything you want don't hesitate to take it. There's no police or army to stop you. If she's inside, restrain her or in your case, Makoto, call for one of us.'' Whilst he wasn't happy to be the only one considered useless in terms of dealing with Junko, it was better than nothing to be trusted to search by his lonesome. He wandered off into the nearest shop, which just so happened to be a café. It was strange to look at an American style diner with no customers and no homely atmosphere. The floor was littered with bone fragments and other debris that coated the already tattered tables. There were a handful of skeletons in the seats. Had people really intended to spend their last moments here? Or had they been here by chance? Maybe if he were the Ultimate Medium or Ghost Whisperer he could ask them. He wandered behind the counter and peered around the corner into the kitchen. More cooking utensils and some canned dog food were the only things left in a visibly presentable condition. Potentially useful if they ever needed them. He wouldn't bother taking up space in his backpack for these though. He may find something more useful or valuable down the line. Junko wasn't here and there was nothing of true value here. He cautiously pushed the shattered doors open and found that the others were no longer in the street. He heard rustling from the bookstore next door and though all of his sense was telling him not to investigate for fear of bandits or more rabid dogs, he strode over and entered. He heard gnawing and feared more dogs but a closer look made him even more fearful.

Rats. Ones larger than the dogs they were currently feeding on. There was only two but that was more than enough to catch and kill him. He stumbled as he tried to leave, gaining the giant rodents attention. They slowly looked over to him and he pushed himself up and out the door. ''HEY! HELP ME!'' They were already gaining on him and he couldn't hear Peko or Hajime approaching. One of the rats was audibly hit by something from behind him and when he allowed himself to look to his right Aoi was on top of a pile of rubble that seemed too vertical for the freakishly large animals to climb. The disgruntled rat split from its partner and made a beeline for the Swimmer. His solo stalker was a few feet from him now and he was starting to tire. These last few days training with Hajime would do wonders for his stamina but not in the short term. He was exhausted from intense military-esque programs he'd been put through. He felt his legs collapse from under him, swiped by the rat trailing him. He landed heavily but had the speed to spin to lie on his back. The rat pounced onto him, the Luckster raising his arms and legs to restrict the reach of it's snout. It was chomping and biting an inch or two from his face. He kicked up repeatedly, staggering the grotesque creature before placing his feet on it's stomach and pushing up with as much force as possible. The rat was sent soaring over his head and landed onto a pile of debris behind him.

The almost silent few seconds was cut short by a horrific squeal of pain. Makoto got up almost foolishly slowly for someone being hunted by an omnivorous monster almost as tall as he was. He glanced quickly at the rat as he was expecting to have to run away. He raised his eyebrows in surprise at what he witnessed. The pile of trash he launched the giant mammal onto had contained rebar and sharp shards of wood that had impaled it and left it stuck upside down. It's squealing was raspier now, a clear sign it had little energy left. Clearly his luck was still helping him as much as hindering him. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe now. SHIT! Hina wasn't!

He was too tired to run so he walked as quickly as he could back to the spot Hina had thrown the rock from. As expected, Hina was stuck on top of the rubble while the rat gradually clambered up to her. He noticed Peko sprinting up the road and thanked all the gods he could name. He made a throwing motion to her as she got closer and she returned a nod. He picked up a rock and threw it at the rat, which leapt backwards off the rocks, only to have Peko's katana lodge in it's skull. It fell just in front of Makoto's feet and he turned to Peko who gave him a thumbs up.

''Are you alright, Young Master?'' He gave the silver-haired girl a quizzical look. That must've been what she used to call Fuyuhiko when she was his bodyguard. He chose to look over it as it might embarrass her to bring it up. ''I'm fine, Peko. Just a little fatigued.'' The Swordswoman nodded and wrenched her blade from the dead rodent's head. Aoi climbed down and threw her arms around her two friends. ''You two are so awesome! How'd you time that so well?'' Makoto shrugged and pointed at Peko. ''She's the weapon woman, I guess.'' Aoi didn't really seem to care about the reasons, she seemed content with being alive and not partially eaten.

''Where is Hajime?'' Peko asked, sparing no regard for the Author who they also had not located. Both peers of the 78th class gave her a blank look. ' _ **'You guys**_! _ **''**_ The three spun to look up the street and saw Toko with scissors in hand. ''Oh brother.'' Aoi said under her breath. _**''Hajimeme wants you guys to get to that radio tower over there! See ya, morons!''**_ And that was that. She had already run off like a bat out of hell. The tower was about ten minutes away at a normal walking pace. ''Guess he found her. Or something really important.'' Hina spoke with a chipper voice. They didn't spend any time dawdling and started walking. ''I was too busy running away earlier to think about it but why are the rats so big?'' ''The radiation from the fallout made some of the few things exposed to it larger or mutated. We don't come across them a lot but when we do they can be quite troublesome. Rats, funnily enough, are some of the easiest to deal with due to their predictability. Insects are usually both the most unsettling and most difficult to kill.'' Makoto swallowed nervously. She had at least said that they didn't encounter them often, right? That meant he was unlikely to come in contact with one. He tried his hardest to keep that frame of mind but the fear factor was enough to get it stuck in his mind. He chose to fiddle with the zipper on his coat to take his mind off of it slightly.

After some awkward, stop-start conversation with the two girls, they finally arrived. The tower was in surprisingly good condition. The metal that formed the tower looked like it was just cast and welded. There was a small station underneath the tower that was likely used for radio shows. Was it just him or could he hear static coming from the station? He asked the others and they seemed to agree. They walked towards the door, Peko showing no hesitation in throwing the door inwards, revealing Hajime sitting across from Junko, who sat in the chair next to the controls and dials. She looked at Makoto as lovingly as she could. It made his heart skip a beat. In that moment, she appeared both genuine and happy. It was the first time she'd displayed an emotion that didn't seem fake or exaggerated.

''Look how fucking cool I am. I got this radio working and found a frequency we can amplify to get a message.'' Hajime sighed and rubbed the back of his head. ''As much as I hate to admit it, she was surprisingly useful to us here. I just wished she'd asked for a radio instead of running away.'' He looked at her and viciously spat those last two words. Junko giggled and passed him the radio. ''You should be able to find the frequency. It's the only one that has breaks in the static.'' Hajime tuned it and found the correct wavelength. The voice wasn't particularly clear or loud but it would be if the signal was amplified. For now all they could make out was: ''Can anyone… na-… isa… kiz…ure…ound…plea…spond…'' Hajime spent a good few minutes trying to strengthen the signal but couldn't.

''We'll take this, and you-'' He said, giving Junko the look of death, ''-back home. I have the tools to strengthen it there considering this tower seems to be out of operation.'' Junko jumped out of the chair and into Makoto's arms. He instinctively clung onto her bare legs, which he regretted as it gave her the chance to wrap her arms around his neck. ''Cawwy me pwease.'' Makoto huffed in frustration. As long as Kyoko didn't see or never found out, he'd deal with it. It's not as if she'd be willing to leave with them if he didn't anyway. He walked out the door, carefully turning side on as to not hit Junko's head on the doorframe. He was flanked either side by Peko and Aoi, the former of which gave him a sympathetic nod. Genocide Jack sped off ahead of them

It took considerably longer to reach the street than it had to get to the tower. Junko had nuzzled into his neck and fallen asleep, leaving him with the annoying decision of waking her up or trying to get her down the ladder whilst she was comatose. He luckily didn't have to make one, as Hajime threw her over his shoulder and leapt down. She screamed in delight the entire way and even applauded when they landed. The others climbed down with Peko closing the hatch behind them. Peko took the radio out of her backpack and placed it on the table. ''Ibuki, could you get that tuning set from our cabinet?'' The Rocker zoomed to his room and came back out with a small box. He took and and opened the back of the radio. Makoto took the opportunity to check on Kyoko. She seemed almost angry when she wasn't included in the search party, given her detective skills. He sat on the couch next to her and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder as she often did these days. ''I assume she found the radio and just waited for you to get there?'' He nodded, his chin rubbing the top of her head. ''I appreciate the fact that a girl other than me finds you attractive, even if it is for the wrong reasons but please don't let her close to you. It is both annoying to me and dangerous for you.'' Makoto furrowed his brow. ''How'd you-''

''You smell like her. She does still wear perfume, you know.'' Makoto sat in contemplative silence for a few moments. ''I'm sorry. She wouldn't come with us if I didn't let her cling to me. At least I think she wouldn't. Maybe.'' He was digging himself into a hole and he was just hoping his girlfriend would see his logic. She gave him a single 'that's fine' and nestled onto his chest. He fucked up. Even he had had enough experience with girls to know that short answers were a no-no. He had a few minutes to sit and think of a solid way to apologise. Ibuki tapped his other shoulder and pointed at Kyoko. He gave her a knowing look and she frowned. Then she clearly had a lightbulb moment and ran to her room, returning with a 'Sorry' greetings card. She pointed at the lavender-haired girl and then at the card before giving him the okay hand and retreating to her hand.

The rest of the group went about their own devices until Hajime called them back over. Even Chiaki emerged from their room and slowly trotted over, aided by Mahiru until she could take a seat at the table. ''This should be boosted enough to get a strong signal, even underground.'' Then the message was audible and clear. Chiaki broke down into tears of joy and wrapped herself around her husband's arm. ''My name is Chisa Yukizome, I'm from the Future Foundation. If you can hear this, please respond.''


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Hello again! I should probably be studying for my end of year tests but I felt like I needed to update this. This is a major flashback chapter so bare this in mind!**

They stood in their usual formation around the centre of the trial room. Junko had finally appeared after her position as the Mastermind was outed by Makoto. She had stood in silence for a good few minutes now, taking the constant bombardment of questions and insults from the rest of her class. After the short barrage, the questions slowly stopped and quiet filled the room. ''Are you finally done?'' She asked, lifting her head to look out at the rest of them. She received only glares and disgruntled expressions, so she chose to begin her eulogy. ''Though you may beg me to let you leave, I have to tell you something before you choose to leave the despair-ridden halls of this formerly-luxurious academy.'' She pointed up to the large screens on the walls, basking in the artificial light as they flickered on to reveal the outside world. Or what was left of it. ''This is what I did.'' She beamed brightly at the survivors. ''What on Earth did you do to them?'' Celeste said as she glanced at her screen, which featured the bodies of hundreds, scarred and charred. ''Don't you mean: what did the governments of the world do?'' The Gambler raised an eyebrow and turned to face her captor.

''Basically me and my sister, who you already had the pleasure of meeting before I murdered her, snuck into a UN meeting and brainwashed all of them into killing each other and destroying their neighbours and enemies.'' The survivors looked horrified. All but Byakuya seemed to turn a deathly pale, even Celeste seemed to turn an even brighter shade of white. ''You certainly seem proud of your actions. Would you care to enlighten us of the purpose of this atrocity?'' The Heir spoke shakily but with the usual air of authority. ''With the amount of times I've said it so far I'd have thought you'd got it by now. For. The. _Despair.''_ The glares became scowls. ''So the world is completely destroyed?'' Makoto asked with a voice full of dejection. Junko nodded. ''And there are no guarantees of safety even if we don't die from nuclear radiation?'' Kyoko followed up. Again, Junko nodded.

''We are among the last few thousands of people on Earth. How does it feel knowing that your friends were murdered or murderers to escape into a world they'd likely die in regardless?'' Celeste clenched her fists and flicked her eyes around the room. She made eye contact with Toko for a short time before turning back to the Mastermind. ''You mean that Sayaka killed Leon for nothing? That her bandmates were dead anyway?'' Makoto spoke barely above a whisper. ''And when Taka killed Hifumi to try and pay off his family's debt, that money wouldn't have had any value, would it?'' The Luckster asked again. Junko simply responded by covering her mouth as she giggled. Aoi sighed deeply and clenched the edges of her podium tightly. Sakura had sacrificed herself at the expense of her dojo without the knowledge that it had long since been destroyed. ''If your claim that out memories have been removed holds water, then exactly how long have we been living without precedent?'' Junko put a single digit to her chin in thought. ''About a year. A year and a half maximum. Don't wanna be too precise otherwise you'll put the pieces together.''

''How far into our life in here did the bombs go off?'' Makoto asked. Junko gave him a strange look; one that the group couldn't quite trace back to a clear emotion. ''About a month, roughly.'' The Luckster's head fell into his hands. The majority of the group shared his feelings but expressed them in different ways. ''Doesn't it fill you with despair to know that everyone you knew and loved is likely dead? That all of your dreams and ambitions won't be achieved or realised?'' She took the time to spin her head around the podiums to meet the gazes of each survivor individually.

''Makoto, you'll never see your family again.''

''Byakuya, your conglomerate is gone and all your property has been destroyed.''

Kyoko, I killed your father before you could reconcile.''

Yasuhiro, your mom is dead and and all your occult stuff is useless.''

Aoi, your entire family is dead and Sakura died for nothing.''

Toko… I don't think you had anything or anyone to lose so well done, I guess.''

And Celeste, it looks like your dream of owning a castle has long since-'' THUNK! Junko quickly placed the lifeless husk of the Monokuma robot in front of herself. A pair of razor sharp scissors jutted out of the dual-coloured bear's stomach. Celeste remained stock still in the position she'd thrown them from. How did Junko know that she would attack her? Was it really that predictable? ''Oh, how disappointing. I was hoping that Kyoko would be the one to cast the first stone. Oh well!'' She threw the Monokuma into the centre of the podiums and slammed her hands onto the podium. ''That may have had a chance of making it to me if I didn't have two talents. Maybe then you wouldn't have to go through the trap door!''

Celeste raised a single brow before feeling the floor give out from under her. She fell without screaming and the others didn't know if that made it better or worse. The fall had evidently ended when a loud thud and blood splatter could be heard as the hatch slowly closed back up. ''NO!'' Aoi screamed and fell to her knees. This was the second time she'd lost someone she felt extremely close to. The last few days had seen Celeste attempting to take her mind off of Sakura. The others didn't know what she did but it seemed extremely effective. The others seemed less fazed but still allowed anger and frustration to be present on their faces. Makoto grit his teeth and clenched his podium so tight his knuckles whitened. Kyoko did the same, the wood even splintering and cracking under the intense pressure. Junko then continued to reveal all of her previous escapades with Mukuro.

The Despair Sisters had gone to a meeting of world leaders at a UN summit in Germany. They had projected their brainwashing video onto the screens that provide translations for the delegates. The politicians were instructed to show the video to the rest of their government and spread despair. For some, this meant broadcasting the videos to the police and the army who turned on their own people and began starting riots and firing into crowds of demonstrators. The Japanese Foreign Minister and his team returned to Japan and formulated a plan to attack Asia. War in Europe began almost instantly with the Eastern Europeans getting 'revenge' on Russia. After only a week all of mainland Europe was in freefall. The US invaded Canada and glorified the massacres of children on national television. South American people fled into the rainforests and mountains to escape the chaos of those who had already been affected in the cities. Soon Russia decided on a nuclear deterrent and destroyed the east of Europe. The US took the opportunity to nuke their oldest adversary and the fallout reached a slowly destabilising China. The Chinese used their entire nuclear arsenal on random nations who they associated to be of equal or higher power. Japan had previously fired their weapons of mass destruction after their infantry invasions failed. Japan was hit by three powerful bombs. One made contact north of Tokyo and the other two landed on the most northern coast of the mainland and most eastern coast of Shikoku. The rest of the class sat awestruck, horrified by the events they were being informed of. Eventually Junko's mouth came to rest and she sat on her throne at the back of the room.

''Now that business is complete and you know the score, I'd like to propose something to you all.'' She raised her hand and held up the peace sign. ''You've got two options. Stay here in the Academy where you're safe and give in to the despair… or face the outside world and potentially die in agony. It's your choice. Oh and BTW, I'll kill one of you randomly if you decide to stay. I'm not throwing you a safe life at no consequence. And knowing both his luck and my hatred for him, it'll probably be Makoto.'' The short boy took a moment to look around at the faces of his friends. There was no sign of strength, just deep contemplation a mainstay in their expressions. It remained like this for some time, Junko allowing the silence despite it's lack of excitement. ''Guys, please. We cant allow her to win! We can't despair!'' Makoto broke the silence with an uncharacteristic shout. His friends looked to him expectantly, waiting for the motivational speech. ''This isn't something I can decide for you. I don't control your emotions or your thoughts. I know you're scared and I know you're wondering what it's like to be outside the 'safety' of these walls. I don't know myself… but I'm willing to find out. I'm willing to stop the death of our friends from preventing our progress. Kyoko, your father loved you and so do I.'' The Detective gasped for what seemed like the first time. Her face fell and she grit her teeth. ''He'd be so proud of you. What you've become. What you can and will be. Don't let the potential of a messed up world stop you.'' Kyoko met his gaze and hardened her expression with a huff. ''There's no way I could give in after you told everyone you love me.'' She said with a roll of her eyes. ''You're too important to me for me to just let you die.'' Makoto gave her a bright smile. The rest of their friends seemed to have heard the two converse but chose to stay in their own heads. Junko watched them with a content grin. Was she happy that he'd convinced Kyoko or that the others were still despairing? The Luckster chose to turn his attention to the Ultimate Heir.

''Byakuya, you, of all people, can't give up.'' The Heir stared at the ground and tried to block him out. ''Byakuya, look at me. Look at me!'' The Heir slowly raised his eyes to his level. ''You are the most influential man on Earth. You said that you were destined to lead humanity and right now, humanity needs you more than ever. Don't give her what she wants, fight her!'' He stopped speaking and raised a hand to his throat. All of this voice-raising was doing a number on him. The tall blonde opposite him was mumbling incoherently to himself. He seemed to be composing himself. Byakuya stood bolt upright and pointed at him. ''As if I needed you to tell me that.'' He said with a smirk. ''Rest assured I have no intentions to let any of you die or suffer due to my ineptitude. I have a world to rule and a plan to do it with. And I take it that now that I've made my choice, you'll have made yours, hmm?'' He craned his neck towards Toko who, unlike the Clairvoyant and Swimmer, regarded him with a swift flick of the eyes. Even Byakuya seemed surprised when she turned away from him and crouched down to the floor. The Heir gave Makoto an inquisitive look. He responded in kind by gesturing for his opposite number to try and calm the Author down and get her back to her senses. Byakuya sighed with a drop of the shoulders and begrudgingly wandered over to her. He chose a rather condescending stance, choosing to stand in front of her and speak down.

''You are a very opinionated woman and whilst you annoy me very much, you are valuable to me and everyone here. Do you really want to disappoint me?'' He winced and backtracked. Kyoko made a move to go over to them but Makoto held out a hand. ''He has this. Hopefully.'' The Detective nodded. ''Do you really want to let us all die or be trapped here forever?'' NO!'' She shrieked from the floor, falling back onto her haunches. ''BUT IF SHE… if she g-gets out and kills whoever's left I-'' She met her Master's stone gaze. Tears were flowing freely now and Yasuhiro and Hina finally snapped out of their respective trances. ''I don't know if I'll e-ever be able to get my b-body back out there. If the world is dangerous enough she m-might not let a useless w-w-weakling like me back in…'' Byakuya's face softened and he crouched too. ''You are stronger than this Fukawa. You are both intelligent and mentally fortified. The fact that you are even considering remaining within this place shocks and appals me but I realise that you are scared and unsure. I can't promise you that life outside will be both safe or successful but I can promise you that we'll try. So you best get your act together.'' He stood sharply, handing the bespectacled girl a handkerchief. He returned to his podium and glared at The Mastermind. She chose to ignore his hostility and give him a maniacal grin.

''Is-is she gonna be okay?'' Yasuhiro asked hesitantly. ''The real question is, Hiro, are you going to be okay?'' The lavender-haired girl asked. ''I-I don't know, man… Nuclear war? No people outside to take care of us or at least set us up with somethin'?'' He placed his chin in his hand as he often did when deep in thought. Well, as deep in thought as someone like Hiro could get. ''I'm never gonna see my mom again, dudes. None of you are gonna see your moms or nothin'. We don't have anybody to go to. S'kinda fucked, not gonna lie.'' Makoto opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by his girlfriend.

''Are you really okay with living here for the rest of your life? You wanted to leave here more than even Celeste.'' Hiro's jaw dropped at the almost accusation. ''Of course I don't wanna stay here but what's the better option? Dying outside and becoming a ghost?'' Makoto coughed before he spoke. ''If you think about it logically, Junko said that all the people outside are either dead or hiding. So that means the chance of somebody trying to kill us is super slim and all we have to worry about is food and water, which we can bring with us before we leave. So just relax and think about it clearly, yeah?'' It was practically a lie and Byakuya and Kyoko gave him strange looks. Hopefully Hiro was either ignorant enough or genuinely fooled by Makoto's words. ''Well, when you put it like that I guess that the chances of us dying are kinda low! Thanks bro! That really put the happy train back on the tracks!'' Hiro laughed. Thank god that had worked. It was lucky that he was extremely gullible.

Now the only person left to convince was Hina, who was fully aware of this fact. ''Guess it's just me, huh? Oh, and Toko, I guess.'' The Author raised her hand just above the edge of her podium, ''I'm o-okay, I-I'm just composing m-myself.'' Aoi looked down, dejected. She had clearly been hoping that Toko would still be unsure like her. ''I don't want to be annoying or keep us here forever but- '' She looked up to stare into Makoto's eyes. ''I just don't think that we'll be safe out there. Sakura doing what she did for us would be, like, pointless if we just died outside.'' The rest of the group allowed a moment of remembrance. Junko giggled from her position on Monokuma's throne but made no attempt to break their fragile silence.

''Sakura gave her life to keep us from hurting one another and we did that. She would be proud that we'd gotten this far and that we'd become as close as we have. She was your best friend Hina. She was like a sister to you and vice versa. Would she really want you to stay cooped up in here? When she gave her life for us, she said in her letter that she wanted us to get out. I don't mean to use her to convince you but think about it for a second.'' This was the most hesitant he had been so far. This could severely backfire by: a, making her angry that he used Sakura as fuel for his argument or b, she became so upset that she lost the motivation to join them. She stared blankly at each of them in turn to gauge their expressions. ''Okay! I still don't think that this is a good idea but if all of you are up for it, then who am I to say no.'' She smiled broadly as she finished and Makoto felt his cheeks twinging into one of his own. The group had reached a unanimous decision and stood basking in their achievement. ''Oookaayy!'' Junko screamed as she launched herself down from her perch and back to her podium, the body of the Monokuma at her feet. ''Now it's time for the real deal.''

''Now that you've decided that you want to leave I'm gonna bring my bargain to the table. So you've got two alternatives. All of you leave and take me with you orrr…. You can leave Makoto here with me while you all leave.'' It was less of a shock than being told he would be executed but it was a surprise nonetheless. ''That is a significantly easier decision than the last. We will leave this place with you. I will not allow any of us to suffer, as I said before. Even if that means keeping you around.'' ''Do we really want a crazy lady with us though?'' Hiro seemed almost scared at the thought of having the orchestrator of their misery with them. ''I'm not willing to leave Makoto here.'' Kyoko glared at Hiro for even suggesting abandoning the Luckster. ''Can we tie her up or something?'' Hina suggested. Toko pointed at the tanned girl with a shaky index finger. ''W-Why would she al-allow herself to b-become our h-h-hostage, stupid?'' Hina furrowed her brow and quickly prepared a retort but was cut off by a surprising source. ''That's fine. As long as I'm in the same place as Makoto, I'll gladly undergo whatever you want me to.''

''What is with your obsession with me?'' Makoto asked in confusion. A sharp, hoarse laugh escaped her lips as she grit her teeth and stared, wide eyed, at the short boy. ''You are singlehandedly responsible for the failure of my plans and the reason your friends have stayed so psychologically strong. Why do you think I tried to murder you when you were ill? You caused me such horrific annoyance but…'' Her face drifted into a euphoric state. ''You made me feel a new type of despair I've never felt before. The despair of _unpredictability_. I want to see if you can make me feel something other than despair and boredom. And I think I've already experienced one. LOVE.'' She blew a kiss to Makoto and made a heart with her hands. Makoto's eyes widened in what could only be described as awe. If it was anyone other than Junko he would be embarrassed, maybe even flattered but this just made him nervous. He was the object of affection for the person who cause the near extinction of the human race. He didn't know if infatuation would make her kinder or crueller. He looked to Kyoko. Then to Byakuya. Then to Junko. ''Still want me to leave with you?'' She offered with an enormous grin. His face contorted into as straight an expression he could manage. ''We leave in one hour.''

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The search for supplies wasn't difficult. They took all the bags they could carried and filled them with as much food and water as possible. Junko had been hovering by the large vault-like doors in the main hall under the instructions of Makoto, who seemed to be the only person she could acknowledge at the current time. Byakuya was the most convenient to carry the larger bags with unalterable straps as his height let him hang the bags without bashing his ankles like they would Hina or Makoto. The Swimmer had been tasked with carrying changes of clothes and medical supplies in a duffel bag and backpack respectively. Toko was given a large travel backpack full of toiletries and cleaning products as well as two tents rolls on each face of the bag. Kyoko chose to bring personal items that they wanted to bring with them. The photos of the class. The picture of her and her father. There was also a selection of random, useful items and tools in her backpack including a screwdriver, bags of screws and bolts and a collection of knives. Hiro and Byakuya were given the food and water which they were clearly less than pleased by due to the weight of them. Makoto took a travel backpack and took whatever he thought seemed useful or anything the others had no room for or didn't have the strength to carry. It was extremely heavy and he was aware that it might cause him to falter but he needed to be the example for the others.

They reconvened at the gate of the Academy and Byakuya tied Junko up, leaving a single end for him to grip onto and drag. Kyoko held a control button with a large red button on it. ''Ready to go?'' She asked with a small sliver of a smile. ''Whenever you are.'' The Detective pressed down and the whirring began. Makoto slipped his right hand into Kyoko's left. It was time to see what awaited them.

 **It feels like an age since I last updated and it has been. I have no valid excuse. I have plenty of exams to do and no time or motivation to write when I'm constantly bombarded with reasons to study. I will try as hard as I can to update as frequently as I can manage but I can say one thing: by the time summer comes around I will likely be pumping chapters out at a good rate. Thank you so much for reading my chapter (and my pathetic excuses) and thank you for sticking with me.**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Hello again! We're back to our regularly scheduled programming so that means back to the bunker. Enjoy!**

The 77th class were overjoyed. Their beloved homeroom teacher, or at least someone with a suspiciously identical name, had not only survived the chaos but was reaching out to survivors. Did that mean she was in a position to give help? Or maybe she was just trying to find survivors to help her? Chiaki had been beaming for a good few minutes now. Chisa had obviously meant a lot to her during her time at Hope's Peak. Hajime had gone to find a microphone and the necessary cables to connect it to the radio. Ibuki had been hopping on her toes since she'd acknowledged her former educator's name. Mahiru had gone to bring Gundham back and Peko had decided to accompany her in case any bandits were hanging around. The resident Yakuza had made the effort to write a script for the upcoming conversation which, despite Hajime's assurance that he wouldn't need it, was actually very detailed. Hajime came back with a large, disc microphone. He ported the end into the front of the radio and placed the stand in front of Chiaki. The Gamer leaned forward in her seat and her husband stood behind her.

''Don't be afraid to get emotional.'' He said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned up to him and gave him a determined look. She hadn't asked to be given the role of first speaker but everyone had silently and unanimously let her take it. The same message that had played previously met their ears and Chiaki swallowed hard as she leant even closer. ''H-Hello?'' The message seemingly wasn't automated as it stopped. ''Hello!'' A chipper voice responded. ''It's good to finally hear someone! We've been taking turns trying to get a response since the end of the Killing-'' ''Ms Yukizome?'' Chiaki interrupted, her voice showing that she was moments away from tears. ''Ms… Oh my god, Chiaki?! Is that you, Chiaki?!'' The tender voice became panicked, similar to maternal panic at the thought of their child in danger. ''Yes, it's me!'' Chiaki practically yelled down the microphone before giggling to herself. ''I thought you were dead… But I'm so happy to hear that you're okay…'' Chisa was clearly crying herself and The Ultimate Gamer was weak to it's infectious nature. ''Uh, Ms Yukizome?'' Fuyuhiko had wandered closer to the mic and spoken from behind it. ''Was that Fuyuhiko? I'd know that grumpy voice anywhere!'' The Maid laughed through her and the radio crackled slightly. ''Who else from our class is with you two?'' The older woman managed between sniffles.

''HELLO!'' Ibuki screamed from across the room as she sprinted to close the space. ''Oooh, I heard Ibuki! I hope you've been keeping up with your music!'' ''You know it, teach!'' Ibuki stuck out her tongue and gave the radio the rock hand despite the fact that anyone speaking over it couldn't see. ''That's great!'' Chiaki wiped her eyes with her sleeves. ''Peko, Mahiru and Gundham will be here to talk soon, they're just outside. Oh and Hajime should probably say 'hi.''' The Ultimate Ultimate rubbed the back of his head and leaned over his wife's shoulder. ''Hajime as in Hajime Hinata? As in 'missing Hope's Peak Student' Hajime?'' Chisa's voice was significantly more inquisitive. The brown-haired boy stood, mouth agape. ''You remember that far back? Oh and hello.'' Ibuki gave Makoto and Kyoko, who were observing from the other end of the table, a displeased look. This could turn sour very easily. ''Of course I remember your disappearance. It was the talk of the school for a few weeks and I personally investigated it. I take it you were a part of the Izuru Kamakura project I discovered?'' She sounded almost hostile now. ''Close. I was Izuru Kamakura.''

A gasp could be heard and Hajime sighed. ''Stay away from my students.'' Hajime seemed confused. ''Excuse me?'' Chisa cleared her throat. '' _Stay away from my students_.'' ''I'm sorry but I can't abandon my friends and my family for your misguided sense of fear.'' ''MISGUI- My fear of you is perfectly justified! The reports I read said you were 'devoid of all emotion' and 'the perfect weapon!' How am I supposed to trust you haven't done anything to my kids, or if they're even with you at all?!'' ''What exactly leads you to believe they're not here?'' Hajime was successfully staying calm. ''What's led me to believe they are? For all I know you could be using an Ultimate Impressionist's talent and mimicking their voices!'' Hajime's face was enough to realise that he could indeed be doing that. He had no proof to suggest otherwise. ''Chiaki, tell her something only someone in her class would know. Or you, Fuyuhiko.'' Chisa didn't speak. She was evidently waiting for some kind of trustworthy story.

''The time our class went to the zoo and you took us around the panda exhibit. You kept telling us that you really loved pandas and that if you were to have any pet, it would be one of them.'' Chiaki smiled inwardly as she (and occasionally The Gangster and The Musician) went onto tell a few more stories about the class and their time at Hope's Peak, including the interestingly named 'love stew' incident. Even the 78th class, save for Byakuya and Toko who were still in their room, were watching with happy smiles. Chisa was silent for all of the retelling. Chiaki eventually stopped and the room was void of sound for a few moments. ''So you really are my class.'' ''We did try to tell ya.'' Fuyuhiko offered. ''Woulda saved us the whole story time as well.'' The hatch opened and the three older students descended the ladder. Ibuki called all of them over and some more small talk broke out between students and teacher. Chisa was acting as if the last 10 minutes had never happened and came across as happy as she was initially.

The last 45 or so minutes had been fascinating to listen to from their position on the couch. Kyoko had been very talkative for the duration of their upperclassmen's conversations with their teacher. The amount of theories about Chisa's survival were vast and seemed to span for longer than the three quarters of an hour it took to get them al out. They ranged from helicopter evacuation to secret underground tunnels beneath Hope's Peak. Makoto had never seen her so enthusiastic about something she couldn't investigate first hand. It was almost certain that she would question Ms Yukizome at the first opportunity and, though she'd never admit it, would probably ask questions about her father.

The members of the 77th class had ended their conversations and gone about letting Chiaki and Hajime steer the conversation towards more important topics like locating the foundation and finding alternative methods of communication. There was a happy atmosphere in the shelter that hadn't been achieved since they had arrived. ''Oh! I almost forgot to get Hiyoko!'' Chiaki stood and walked to her room. ''Hiyoko's with you too? How tall is she now?'' Hajime's face contorted in a clear attempt to steady himself for what he was about to say.

''When she says Hiyoko, she doesn't mean Hiyoko Saionji.'' ''Then who is it?'' Chisa replied with audible confusion. ''Hiyoko Hinata. She's our daughter. Nine months old. We named her after the girl who used to be in your class.'' The radio produced no noise for a few seconds. Not even a sigh or a disgruntled noise. ''How are they so trusting of someone like you?'' Hajime chose not to answer and simply wait for Chiaki to return with the baby. That would either make Chisa happy or at the very least force her into pretending to happy. The Gamer returned with the small baby and asked Chisa to say things to her through the mic. Chisa complied with the spark and energy of a new mother, emphasising her voice and even making Hiyoko giggle. She seemed highly capable of lying and masking emotions. He wasn't sure if that was beneficial to him because it saved Chiaki's feelings or bad because it made her seem far more friendly than she intended to be when the members of her class were absent. Makoto and Kyoko chose to leave for Byakuya's room to check up on him.

...

His room was extremely dark and Toko could only be distinguished by the glint of light on her glasses. Byakuya was still asleep (could passing out really be counted as sleeping) but was now on his side with his back to Toko. Even in unconsciousness he seemed to be trying his best to ignore her. Toko was staring at him and ringing her hands absentmindedly; she barely reacted to their entry into the room. She had barely spoken at all in her normal form since Byakuya was injured by Hajime. The only reason that Genocide Jack had been conversational was because she didn't share memories with her other self and she was dragged out of the room before she was forced to sneeze. It was unclear if The Ultimate Murderous Fiend would react poorly to Hajime/Izuru's choice of actions or if she would devote her time to The Heir's recuperation. Kyoko took a seat on Toko's bed and allowed Makoto to look over the tall blonde's sleeping form from the doorway. Toko huffed loudly and stood. ''I'm g-going to get a dr-drink.'' She left as quickly as she had spoken.

Kyoko placed her chin in her palm and gazed towards the chair the Author had been sat in. ''She's far too emotional right now for us to place both trust and faith in her. She'll probably be okay when Byakuya waked up but for now, let's just make sure she doesn't do anything stupid.'' Makoto nodded and propped the door open further. Toko swung her eyes towards him from behind the counter in the kitchen and obviously felt hurried enough to speed walk back to the room, glass of juice in hand. She mumbled a 'thank you' and placed the juice next to the foot of the chair adjacent to Byakuya's bed. She sat hesitantly, as if the other two in the room would place a whoopie cushion underneath her. ''I-I promise that when M-Master wakes up I'll go and speak to the t-teacher bimbo o-or whatever.'' ''You don't have to speak to her at all, that's not why we came here. We just came to check up on you and see if Byakuya needed any help.'' Toko smiled to herself; it was difficult to see in the dim light of the room and she didn't dare to show him or Kyoko but he was sure she had. ''So i-it wasn't to make me d-do something?'' She seemed to be aware of the answer already but wanted to rub it in. ''Of course, you're important to all of us. It'd be bad if you felt alone or as if we didn't care.'' Toko squinted suspiciously at him. ''W-Well your sm-smooth words won't w-work on me. Stick to two girls, you womaniser.'' Makoto's eyes widened and he almost screamed 'what' but managed to catch his voice before it became to loud. ''What do you mean 'womaniser' and who are these 'two' girls?'' Toko furrowed her brow and pouted. ''You mean Enoshima has absolutely no feelings for you and she's just playing around?'' ''Oh, so that's wha-'' ''And can you say for definite that you don't have any feeling, not even attraction, for Enoshima? Because it seems to me like you do.'' The Author had completely turned the conversation on it's head. A few moments ago he was encouraging her to believe in her friends and now she was accusing him of falling for the enemy.

''I do not like Enoshima.'' He crossed his arms and glared at the seated girl. He crumbled almost instantly, however, to look at Kyoko. She didn't seem to be angry with him. She too was glaring at Toko, though the dark-haired girl wouldn't be able to see this unless she had eyes in the back of her head. Had she finally processed what he'd said earlier? Did she believe his excuses for smelling like Junko? Maybe it was just annoyance that Toko had made an accusation with no evidence in her favour. ''I-If you say so.'' The bespectacled girl gave in. The next two minutes was silent as the three watched over the wounded man in the bed. It gave him time to think over what Toko had brought up with him. Did he have any feelings for Junko? He hadn't really experienced love or true attraction before meeting Kyoko so he couldn't exactly decipher his own emotions. Regardless, this was becoming unbearably awkward. He flicked his eyes over to his girlfriend who seemed to understand almost immediately. She stood and walked over to him, wrapping her hand around his and pulling him out the door. Toko didn't even look up as the couple left.

The two were immediately approached by Hajime upon their exit. ''We need you to speak to Chisa. She doesn't know that you're with us yet so I'll try to ease you into conversation.'' He spun on his heels and sped back to the radio. ''Ms Yukizome, we have somebody we'd like you to speak to.'' Chiaki said with a voice full of excited anticipation. ''Makoto, come speak to her, please.'' Chisa gasped louder than she had at any point so far. ''Do you mean Makoto Naegi?'' Makoto chuckled as Hajime guided him towards the microphone. ''Hello. It's very nice to speak with you. I've heard quite a lot about you.'' He spoke slower than he often did as to allow himself time to think of an explanation for being amongst the 77th class. ''How long have you been with my students?'' An expected first question and, thankfully, the one he had thought of the most. ''Peko found us as we were walking towards the outskirts of Tokyo. She brought us to the bunker Hajime built and we've been here ever since. That was about… 8 days ago?'' Chisa hummed to show that she was up to date and the Luckster continued.

''We've had everything we've needed here. We're safe as long as we're here. This is sounding a bit like he's got a gun to my head isn't it?'' He chuckled and gave Hajime an apologetic look. That was a terrible thing to say to what was, essentially, a hostage negotiator as far as Chisa was concerned. Chisa at least seemed to appreciate Makoto's dry humour enough to giggle slightly. ''I don't think the higher ups will be too thrilled to hear that you're so far away but I'm sure they'll at least be pleased to hear that you're alive and safe.'' ''You don't need anymore details or anything?'' He wanted to gain as much from this exchange as she had; despite her claims about wanting to help, they had no proof that this 'Future Foundation' was actually a source of good. ''Your dangerous friend already gave me your location and your supplies situation. I'll talk to my superiors and get back to you within the next 24 hours. Keep the line open, please.'' Hajime crooked his head and shouted for Chiaki to say her goodbyes. The Gamer hurried over to the microphone and leant over Makoto's shoulder. ''Goodbye Ms Yukizome! Call back!'' She stood and rested her head on her husband's shoulder. The rest of the upperclassmen said their parting pieces except for Peko, who rocked Hiyoko from her seat on the couch.

The rest of the class had gone about their normal business and, after what seemed like an eternity, Hajime was left alone. He was sitting on the bed he shared with Chiaki. The way in which Yukizome seemed almost eager to end the conversation after hearing Makoto speak was alarming. The mention of higher-ups also left a lot to be determined. The real question in his mind was one that he practically knew the answer to but was hurt by the notion of. Had Yukizome really cared about the radio call up until the point of Makoto's introduction? He'd been in the Academy for roughly 2 years and nobody had tried to rescue him, is what he told himself. If this Future Foundation weren't willing to do that, then why would they be so relieved to hear his voice over a radio? The belief in his newly found hope? His usefulness in motivating a work force? He'd need to investigate if he were to find the true cause. He sighed and stood. He needed to check on Byakuya's condition. He poked his head around the frame of the door. Chiaki sat with her legs crossed in front of the TV. Ibuki was asleep with her head in the Gamer's lap. It was lucky that Hiyoko was already asleep in her cot because Chiaki would definitely have a to shuffle awkwardly to avoid waking Ibuki. It was very late now and that was apparent from the lack of people in the main room.

''Everyone's gone to bed already. Maybe you should to.'' Hajime turned to see Mahiru at the frame of her and Ibuki's door. ''Why do you say that?'' He tilted his head in confusion. Mahiru pushed off the frame and placed her fingers under Hajime's eyes. ''Bags. Dark ones, at that.'' He chuckled and in leant to look at his wife by the consoles. He still felt pressure on his face and turned back to the Photographer. She had cupped his cheek but was staring vacantly at him, as if she was unaware of what she was doing. She rub circles into his cheek with her thumb before Hajime gripped her wrist softly. She jolted and squeaked in surprise. ''So-Sorry. I don't know why I did that. I'm probably just tired or something.'' An unconvincing lie. ''You have something you want to tell me?'' He asked encouragingly. She looked strangely at him, as if he'd asked her to dance with him at a ballroom. She mouthed like a fish out of water for a few moments but eventually settled for a grumble to herself and a hard exhale. ''I'll… tell you some other time. When I'm ready and you're not busy.'' ''I'm not busy right now.'' He said with a hint of what he hoped to be infectious optimism. Mahiru's eyes flickered over to Chiaki, who Hajime had heard turn off the Dreamcast and place Ibuki on one of the couches. ''Yeah but I'm not ready.'' She looked down in disappointment before making her way to the couch where she just about managed to lift Ibuki into her arms. He offered to lift the Rocker in her stead but the redhead refused and trudged back to her room. ''Good night, you two.'' The door slowly closed and Hajime realised what she'd wanted to say. Not that it would ever change anything. ''Wanna go to bed?'' Chiaki rested her head against his chest as soon as she reached him. ''You go on ahead, I've got to check on Byakuya.'' Chiaki nodded, rubbing her soft locks against the fabric of his shirt. She headed over to their room whilst Hajime made a beeline for The Heir's and The Author's.

He softly opened the door. ''Ah, come to see me, have you?'' A sneering, confident voice met his ears. And it did a moment after. ''I'm not usually one for apologies as I am not often in the wrong.'' The blond lay flat on his back, eyes wide open and analysing the intricacies of the ceiling. ''Look, I-'' '' _But._ '' He was interrupted by the Heir for what felt like the hundredth time since his arrival. ''I must admit when I am being a nuisance and simply trying to antagonise someone and today, I was. For what it's worth, I apologise for harming your wife.'' Hajime managed a rye smile and sat in the chair next to his bedside. ''And I apologise for acting in aggression.'' Byakuya released a soft chortle followed by a wince. ''Yes, I would've certainly preferred not to be thrown into a wall but what's done is done.'' His head rolled to face the Ultimate Prodigy. ''Next time, simply insult my intelligence or mention my family. I'll most definitely lose track of what I was being angry about and focus on that.'' There was no irony in his voice; no humour was present in anything he had said. This was a genuine aid should Hajime ever need it again. He rolled back again and closed his eyes.

''Do you know how long it took me to convince Toko that I was the instigator?'' He asked with a grin. Hajime laughed quite loudly and was forced to cover his mouth when he remembered that the girl in topic was sleeping in the bed behind him. She wasn't sleeping, however. Her breathing was too irregular and her heartbeat too sporadic. Especially when her 'Master' uttered her name. Hajime leant over to Byakuya and pulled down the blanket to reveal his torso.. ''I'm going to administer a shot directly into your back. Do you have any major allergies?'' Byakuya gave a quick 'no' and gestured for the shorter boy to roll him onto his side. Hajime did as suggested, earning a sharp grunt of pain from the Affluent Progeny as he did so. He rolled his patient's shirt up to just below his shoulders and filled the syringe. ''May I ask what is in this shot?'' Hajime flicked the end of the needle before steadying his hovering hand in front of the boy's spine. ''Some simple anti-inflammatories and Codeine.'' The incision and injection was over within around 15 seconds and Hajime went about setting Byakuya back into a comfortable position. ''Thank you.'' Byakuya said as Hajime pulled the blanket up to his chin. ''It's the least I could do considering you're in pain because of me.'' He placed the gear he had used into his medical bag and grabbed the door handle. ''Good night. If you have any problems, Toko's evidently a light sleeper.'' He pulled the door to a close just a Toko sputtered in disbelief and spun over in her bed.

Makoto was in the kitchen when he exited, filling up a glass of water. The Luckster smiled when he saw him but looked hesitant to come out from behind the counter. He was very sweaty and seemed to be panting lightly from where Hajime was standing. Oh. Ohhhhhhhh. Okay. That's just happened then. ''Give her hell, pal!'' He said with a wink as he opened his door, much to Makoto's annoyance. ''Hey, not so loud!'' Makoto ironically yelled out. This place was going to make him die from embarrassment.

 **Thanks for reading! I currently have a two week holiday so I decided to get some writing done in between revision days. I hope that the few hours of writing doesn't make this really bad but I had to get something out. I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who reads every chapter and especially those who followed this story; you are most definitely a major driving force and I cant thank you enough for appreciating my writing. Til next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Heyo! I'd like to start this by thanking ForgotPassword (or whomever the repeated reviewer is) for their constant positivity. It really brightens up my day to see that someone likes my work, so thank you so much!**

The axe came down with incredible speed and cleaved the skull of the man unfortunate enough to be underneath it's arc. The gurgled cries of his dying aggressor were akin to that of a squealing pig and it disgusted him. He wrenched the weapon from it's position in the corpse and flicked the blood and brain matter from the red steel at its end. He emerged from the alley and flinched as a flaming car zoomed past him. He rolled his eyes as the vehicle collided with another petrol car and exploded upon impact. The entire street was practically set alight and he was forced to retreat onto the rooves of the apartments above via the piping on their walls, purely to avoid burning Despairs who targeted him regardless of the fact that they were ablaze.

He looked over the scene below and considered his approach. The two he was looking for couldn't have gone far in the last handful of hours but they needed to be found and returned. If necessary, they would need to be contained for their own safety. ''How far do you believe them to have travelled?'' A voice from behind him reached his ears and he craned his head to meet her. The silence of her footsteps and her quiet nature seemed almost an attempt to catch him off guard. If it was such an attempt, it was practically pointless. He had both incredible hearing and awareness. ''Even if they were to use their talents and physiques to their maximum potential, they would be roughly… 20 minutes away.'' She gave him a swift nod and threw him a walkie-talkie before descending into the alley. He hung the small device from the loop of his belt and followed her path down.

She was already long gone by the time he hit the ground, as expected. He poked his head out of the alley as he had done moments before. The last of the Despairs had been decapitated and their still smoking bodies lay motionless in the partially melted asphalt. This gave him the perfect chance to look for clues about the whereabouts of those who had abandoned his group. He scoured the length of the pavement, avoiding making enough noise to attract the Despairs and protestors he could hear in the next street over. The glint of metal met his astute eyes and he moved for it instinctively. Just as he had thought. A broken metal chain. An interesting accessory for one of the missing and one that confirmed that he was close. Another explosion rang out in the adjacent building and debris flew past him as he crouched to inspect the chain.

An animalistic scream echoed down the road and he flicked his eyes to reach its source. It was evidently a scream of pain. A protestor, who appeared to be unaffected by the Despair video, was crawling up the street away from the burning wreck of the building, which he assumed to have been a diner. She was looking at him as she struggled to move forwards. Looking at him with an expression that asked for help. Izuru stood from his squat and began a slow walk towards the wounded woman. The girl recognised that he was on his way and allowed herself to slow down to save her strength. She would soon wish she hadn't, if she had time to think. A loud stream of shouting and angry yelling whizzed round the corner. Another group of Despair-influenced rioters were on their way. The floored protestor's eyes widened and she attempted to push herself up onto her elbows to kickstart her snail-pace escape. He knew that noise. It guaranteed the lady's death. A horde of furious, brainwashed murderers turned the corner and sprinted towards him. The injured woman gave him one final look. It was strange to him. She seemed more disappointed that he hadn't reached her than she was sad or disheartened about her imminent demise. Not that she had time to change her expression as the army reached her. There was a sickening crunch as boot met skull and skull met concrete. The army trampled over her as they sped towards him. 'Army' was a generous term but to any straggler left alone it was exactly what it seemed. There were roughly 30 of them approaching him, spouting nonsense about the end of the world and the glory of despair. Izuru sighed as his other self finally retreated into his subconscious. '' _Boring.''_

It took some time to finish the first of his attackers. Despite their lack of coherence and blinding want for violence, they were somewhat tactical with their advancements. The ones that wielded blades followed up the wild swings of those who used blunt weaponry. Of course, 'some time' was a handful of seconds for Izuru but it was still longer than his usual time spent in skirmishes. When it came to fighting those who had been brainwashed, he always preferred to kill than to leave them unconscious. Rendering them unconscious meant that they could wake up and inflict more damage. That didn't apply to everyone, however. The video that Enoshima had broadcast to the country was different than the one she had broadcast to the representatives at the UN. The first prototype had affected all of the politicians present whilst the more recent video only affected one in three people. This was most likely intentional on Enoshima's front to ensure that she could witness as many variations of despair as possible. The fear of those who were unaffected as their loved ones turned on them and became violent. Those who would plead to the police and the military for help, lacking the knowledge that there would be those amongst their ranks that were plotting to create chaos. It must've been quite satisfying for her to watch from her perch inside Hope's Peak Academy, especially since there were only a handful of people across the world who knew that she was the source of the Tragedy. Not that she'd have the opportunity to enjoy it for long. If his predictions of the nuclear holocaust were accurate then she'd only have a week to revel in her victory before the prestigious school became one of the few places containing healthy humans. Thinking about this was the only thing on his mind. When he finished his train of thought he realised that he had already killed the first wave of Despairs. A piece of rebar came flying towards him and, for the first time today, he was caught slightly off guard.

Hajime and his emotions were definitely slowing his reaction time. Luckily the aim of the pitcher was not too brilliant and only his shoulder fell victim to damage. The last 12 attackers saw an opportunity in the fact that he was forced to stagger by the rebar. They all charged in unison, hoping that their sheer volume in numbers would overwhelm the single Ultimate. It didn't. He swung first, catching all of them off-guard. His clenched fist shattered the jaw of the closest man, the hand following its course and connected sharply with his neck, an audible crack sounding out. He fell swiftly to the ground, taking the woman behind him with him. Izuru swung his right leg and connected cleanly with the grounded woman's head, taking it clean of her shoulders and sending it soaring into the alley he had emerged from moments earlier.

''Kokoro!'' A voice at the back of the pack could be heard. His wife? Daughter perhaps? He couldn't care less as he dodged a bat before grabbing it's tip and pulling it from an old man's hands. The elderly man gasped and attempted to back up, only to be prevented by the 9 crazies still progressing. Izuru swung directly down onto the roof of his head and split it like a watermelon. He was forced to swing a split second afterward to prevent a knife-wielding lady from finishing her prodding motion. The bat was swung at a lower angle than before, placing the blow on the underside of her ribs. The strangely grimy woman doubled over in an attempt to lessen the pain but that only made it significantly easier for the Ultimate Ultimate to twist her head and snap her neck. The bat had cracked along its length due to the power of the last swing and would break with it's next use, so Izuru improvised. He put all of his strength into his next hit, killing the fifth man and breaking the bat into several shards of sharp wood. He took a makeshift blade in each hand and thrust up through the chin of the next guy along. He didn't bother attempting to retrieve it again, allowing the ex-attacker to fall to the asphalt with the wood stuck in his brain. The rest of the group seemed hesitant now. He had halved their number in a matter of seconds and he still had a weapon, albeit short and fragile. They wouldn't have time or the ability to retreat. Izuru sliced across the next girl with precision and speed, blood spraying from her throat. He was slightly put off by her short stature and prepubescent appearance. Had Hajime been in control, hesitation would've been a natural response. He also noticed the Hope's Peak reserve course uniform. It was strange for one of the Despairs from the Academy to be so far from the gates; from what he had observed many had attacked the fences and gate relentlessly before the Steering Committee's henchmen had mowed them down with gunfire. One of the quartet had began his escape and Izuru reacted in kind by launching the piece of wood through the crowd of three and into the back of his neck. He hit the ground quickly and began writhing on the floor. His 'friends' made the mistake of looking back and faced the consequence as two of them were thrown down the street and into the car-centric inferno a few feet down the road. One man was left, though he had fallen to his knees before him.

''You-You killed my wife!'' He shouted up at him. Izuru realised that there were no swirls in his eyes. He was not a Despair. Had he joined them as he wanted to be violent? Or had he- ''I just wanted to make sure she didn't do anything stupid! That video made her so fucking angry and I had to play along!'' Video? So the cause was purely in this form? The tears were streaming down his face now. Izuru squatted down to meet his eye level. ''Please believe me when I say: there was no saving her. The effects of the video are irreversible. Her death is a mercy killing, if anything.'' ''You m-mean that she'd n-never be the same?'' He clenched his fist, gripping his jeans and causing them to ruffle. Izuru stood bolt upright and kept his gaze fixated on the man as he adjusted his tie. ''Would you like me to kill you?'' He asked, the lack of emotion in his voice and phrasing creating a feeling that this too, would be a mercy. ''Say your goodbyes to her if you feel like you must.'' The man nodded before attempting to clamber to his feet, though he stumbled back down to his knees. Izuru watched in fascination. The raw emotion and feeling. Could despair really cause such contrasting actions and words? The man looked no more than 30 but this experience seemed to have aged him; his hair was unruly and he was deathly pale. He collapsed next to his wife's body. He seemed slightly fazed by the corpse being without it's head but laid down next to her regardless. His breaths were shaky and he tried to rest his hands atop his stomach. Izuru looked at him with visible confusion. The way that the man was acting made it seem as if he wasn't ready to die. On second thought, the phrasing of his question had made it seem as if he didn't have a choice in the matter. He walked back over to where he had dropped his axe in the alley and strode back over to his new acquaintance, though that was a generous term. He hovered the axe over the man's head and steadied his hand. ''Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?'' He allowed some leniency and hesitation to come through in his voice. Hopefully, if the gentleman before him didn't truly want this, that would make him reconsider and let Izuru go on his merry way. ''It's okay, please, just fucking do it.'' He didn't need to be told twice.

It didn't take too long to reach his targets. They had been exactly where he'd believed they'd be and where Peko had tracked them to. The Owari household. Where Akane lived with her mother and seven siblings. The one in three ratio was not in favour of such a large family. Their house was rather large considering that the family had lived in poverty for such a long time. Although just looking around at the neighbouring areas, it was no wonder. This street and all of the others around it were rundown and had clearly lacked attention from local government in the last few years. He leapt down from his perch and pushed himself into a light jog to reconvene with Peko, who sat with her legs crossed in the middle of the street. Her blade was on top of it's sheath and resting on her legs. She was cleaning the length of the katana with a small cloth.

''Have they gone inside yet?'' He asked. Hajime was back in the driving seat and she could tell, even without looking at his eyes. ''No.'' ''So they're around here somewhere?'' ''No.'' Hajime's eyebrow raised in concern. ''So when you said that they were here, you were lying?'' The silver-haired girl thrust the sword into the ground and jumped up to her feet. Her sneakers made a scraping noise on the asphalt. ''I cleared the road up to the house.'' Hajime had noticed the bodies strain about the street but hadn't considered that they were all made by Peko. ''It was my theory that if the road was clear of obstacles, they would be more inclined to take a simple path rather than try to reach their destination via the roof or backstreets. I called you so we could wait for them and convince them to come back.'' Hajime chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment before shrugging and placing a hand on her shoulder. The other hand gave her a solid thumbs-up. ''Good work. I just wish you would've told me.'' ''If I did that, Izuru probably wouldn't have even bothered coming. It didn't match his original plan.'' He had to accept that. He genuinely wasn't sure if Izuru trusted the rest of the friends whose company he had come to treasure in the last few weeks. He could hear footsteps down the street. Familiar footsteps he had taken the time to get used to hearing over the time they spent in the shelter. He turned to face the two. Nekomaru Nidai and Akane Owari were gradually progressing up the cracked pavement. ''We should duck into this alleyway here.'' Peko suggested. Hajime waved her off. ''They've already seen us. We may as well confront them now.''

The two minutes it took the escapees to reach them felt like an eternity. When they finally did, both pairs were standoffish. ''You better let her see her family, pal.'' Nekomaru spoke smoothly and politely. He clearly didn't want this to escalate to a brawl. Not when a fight could attract attention from any Despairs hanging around. ''We have no intention of stopping you, Akane.'' Peko spoke up. ''Good, cuz I wouldn't let ya anyway.'' She smirked at Peko, who returned a worried smile. ''I just want to say: what you see in there may not be what you want to see.'' Hajime tried to be as vague as possible. Saying outright that some of her siblings may have killed each other or have been killed by their mother was bound to send the Gymnast into a ridiculous panic. ''Ha! Yeah right! My li'l ones are super strong, so they'll be fine.'' She was incredibly overconfident, considering the things that she had seen people do since the Tragedy had begun. Even Nekomaru failed to keep a hopeful expression. ''If you insist on seeing them, then I can't stop you. I ask, however, that I be allowed that I should join you.'' Akane looked almost offended. ''Why?'' Hajime chose to raise a single brow. Nekomaru leant forward and pivoted to meet his companion's eyes. She sighed and sped forward, pulling on Hajime's arm with a growl. The two reached the doors of the dilapidated home and slipped inside.

Peko attempted to make small talk with the Ultimate Team Manager, who responded with friendly, yet curt, statements that revealed little about their whereabouts for the last few hours. The two could hear screaming and arguing from inside and Hajime exited with a disgruntled expression. ''What happened?'' Nekomaru inquired. ''We didn't even get past the living room. There was no one there and she got panicked. She told me to leave so I did to avoid upsetting her.'' ''Did you hear anyone in the building? With your abilities?'' Peko seemed quite assured of the answer already. ''Yes, but they were in the upstairs bedrooms. I'm sure Akane saw that as a bad sign.'' More muffled shouting could be heard from the upstairs and the three in the street gave each other narrowed glances before starting for the door. An enormous explosion lit the broken home up and destroyed the roof. The remaining frame was set ablaze and the wooden supports began to collapse inwards into the building. The force of the eruption had clearly been due to a chain reaction, as all the other houses up the street had also burst into flames and been absolutely decimated. There couldn't possibly have been survivors in a normal case, but these were Ultimates.

Hajime woke in a heap under a portion of the smouldering roof. He wasn't as woozy or as fatigued as he should've been and that was definitely thanks to his abilities. He threw the debris off him and began his search for Peko. It wasn't a long search. She was lain across the floor to his left with a huge pile of debris on top of her. Hajime didn't hesitate to wrench the rubble off her and check her pulse.

She was alive, thankfully. He wasn't sure of the damage to her ribs and her internal organs but he could clearly see that she had no broken bones in her limbs and her neck had sustained no damage. He picked her up in a bridal fashion and carried her into the alley they had emerged from and placed her a few metres up the metal stairway. Luckily her katana had still been in it's sheath on her back to provide her with a method of self defence should she wake in time to prevent a physical assault. At least that would work in theory. Upon laying her down, he noticed that she was without her glasses. He left a mental note to look for them while he searched for the other two. He jumped back into the fray and looked towards the series of burning homes to his right. It was late evening now and the setting sun made the sky merge into the orange flames of the family abodes. This meant that the street was illuminated by a dull, almost crimson glow, which certainly complemented the eeriness created by the quiet, distanced moaning and shouting of the approaching Despairs. The explosion had no doubt grabbed their attention and they would be upon him in moments. That assured that his work would have to be quick. He could hear pained, crying and he was certain it was Akane. How she'd survived the explosion, especially when she was most likely at it's epicentre, he had no idea. A huge segment of the building stood upright a small distance from the house's steps and there didn't seem to be anywhere else that she could be stuck or hiding behind. He sped to her, avoiding the pieces of wood and brick that caked the asphalt and trying to look for the familiar glint of spectacles. He poked his head round the side of the wreckage of concrete and plasterboard, only to be forced to catch the fist of Nekomaru. ''Shit! Sorry!'' His armed dropped to his side and he spun around, practically ignoring him now that he realised he wasn't a threat. He soon realised why.

Akane was on her knees in front of her home. She cradled the body of a small girl in her arms and had a bright red face, though this seemed more from anger than from sadness. She screamed as she had before, though this seemed more animalistic and rageful. The girl in her arms seemed no older than four, meaning that she would be the youngest of Owari siblings. The tears that ran down her face seemed to evaporate due to the heat coming off of her face. Nekomaru stood in a saddened stupor next to her, making advances to place his hand on her shoulder but flinching and retreating whenever she emoted too loud or too violently. There was nothing to be done now. If the youngest was dead, then that meant that the mother had likely shown no mercy to any of the children. Of course there was a chance that one or two may have survived but Hajime still believed that to be outside the realms of possibility. Akane was still bawling and seething from her position on the floor, leaving Nekomaru and Hajime to approach the house upon the Prodigy's request.

''Please be careful when attempting to lift anything, it may cause a chain reaction.'' The Team Manager nodded slowly with his mouth agape. He clearly hadn't witnessed anything like this before. It was a strange thought to Hajime that there were still some people who hadn't seen atrocities like this. The muscle man wrenched a wooden beam from in front of the door and allowed the slimmer man to speed inside. The interior was a warped fantasy version of the home it had been a few minutes before. The furniture in some of the downstairs' rooms was intact and despite the loud crackling of the flames, a faint heartbeat was still within the building. His ears perked up instantaneously and he looked towards the broken staircase. He leapt up it with ease and looked up. The outside appearance certainly matched it's interior: about two thirds of the roof had either collapsed inwards or had been blown out into the street. Luckily the heartbeat seemed to be… next to his feet. He spun and threw up a bloody blanket to reveal another Owari daughter.

She was breathing arrhythmically and her eyes were glazed over. A huge gash was across her abdomen but it didn't seem to be deep enough to kill. If anything, her current position was due to shock and smoke inhalation. He crouched next to her and lifted one of her arms. It dropped to her side and he knew he had to get her out as soon as possible. And what better way to exit than jumping out of the hole in the roof. He called for Nekomaru. ''Get ready to catch me!'' He took a short run up and jumped out of the building.

The hulking teen stood with open arms at the foot of the house and caught the shorter boy. For a few moments there was a carry pyramid; The girl was in Hajime's arm and Hajime was in Nekomaru's. ''Holy shit! Where'd you find her?'' The larger boy's eyes were as wide as they could possibly be. ''Under a blanket in the middle of the upstairs bedroom. I need to tend to her injuries and, if I see it necessary, operate on her.'' He approached Akane with the girl in his arms and her head perked up. Her eyes threatened to pop out her skull as her mouth fell open. ''Mikasa?!'' She carefully laid the corpse in her arms on the ground and slowly walked towards her sister. ''Is she gonna be okay?'' Her voice was weak and barely reached him but he responded as confidently as he could muster. ''Her injuries aren't life threatening but she may need surgery. I can do that if we get her back to the shelter.'' Akane seemed to chew the inside of her cheek, deep in thought. Her eyes quickly darted over to the group of Despairs that were only a few tens of feet away. They weren't walking at an incredible pace but they were certainly reaching them quickly. She thrust her arm forward and placed it on the girl. She ran the back of a hand along her cheek and looked up at Hajime. ''Can I hold her?'' There was a hideous look on her face. A complete feeling of deranged lunacy was emanating from her. ''It may hurt her if I move her from this position.'' He lied. ''Just let me hold her for a bit, it's no biggie.'' ''I don't think that's a good idea at the moment.'' ''You think I'm not strong enough?'' The tanned girl's voice was cold and lacked any kind of reasonable emotion behind it. ''You think this is my fault?'' Hajime squinted. This was about to take a turn. The crowd was closing in. Nekomaru was indecisive. Akane was about to snap. Mikasa was stirring. And then she lunged.

Hajime was expecting the lunge but he wasn't expecting it to be quite so fast. She managed to take a firm grasp of her sister's neck, either completely unaware of the dangers of this or choosing to ignore it in favour of gaining her sibling. Her other hand wrapped around the small girl's left leg. Whilst he still had a solid hold of the girl's chest and abdomen, keeping that hold wasn't sensible. If the Ultimate Gymnast were to tug too hard, the girl's injuries would be aggravated or her neck would be snapped. He let go and allowed Akane to take the girl into her arms. Akane's face contorted into a maniacal grin and she began mumbling under her breath. She spun on her heels and ran down the street. She came to a stop and turned to stare at Nekomaru. Her mouth was a straight line and even from this distance, her pupils were visibly small. Nekomaru looked towards the ground, lacking the courage to reject her or to leave Hajime behind to join her. He was soon forced to move regardless as the Despairs reached him. Both he and Hajime clambered on top of a pile of car wreckage.

''You can't trust her anymore.'' The Ultimate Team Manager met his eye level but failed to respond. ''This event has deeply affected her, as to be expected. She is unhinged now. She will easily give in to Despair if she hasn't already.'' He crouched and swung his leg over the edge of the wreckage, sending a young Despair cascading down and taking several more down with him. ''If I don't go with her, she'll do something stupid or dangerous or both. I can make sure she doesn't go overboard or hurt the girl or some shit.'' ''COACH! C'MON!'' His head turned slightly and his face fell again at the reminder of Akane's instability. He placed a foot behind him as if to try to leave but was interrupted by the smaller boy in front of him. ''There will be a nuclear war soon. Very soon. I don't know exactly where the bombs will be dropped but it'll decimate the population. If you don't have a plan, please reconsider.'' Nekomaru looked at him in horror. ''We… had a plan to take a boat out and wait for this whole thing to blow over. Will that… still work for bombs?''

Hajime raised an eyebrow. Not a particularly original plan but it was one few would think of in a panic state. But that didn't mean that he'd admit the plan was sound by answering his question. ''Do you have a boat? Do you have the resources and supplies to survive for a long period of time at sea?'' ''If what my students have told me is true, then yeah.'' ''Students?'' Hajime inquired. Nekomaru smirked slightly. ''I coached a sailing team earlier in the year. I kept in touch and they offered to take me on board to see this crisis out. Never though it'd get so fucking bad. Guess this kinda shit doesn't match my credentials, huh?'' Hajime was struggling to find an excuse for taking them back to the shelter that didn't involve the protection and healing of Mikasa Owari.

''I don't want to let her take her sister, Nidai.'' He furrowed his brow to show his intentions to his opposite number. ''We don't have time to fight. She'll grow impatient and the Despairs will capitalise so please, just get her over here and we'll go home.'' Nekomaru gave him and eager grin before outstretching his arm to offer a handshake. ''Sure thing, pal.'' Hajime took his hand and felt something slip into his palm. It was metallic but had the distinct feel of glass at some intervals. He opened his hand to see Peko's glasses. ''Found 'em outside the house.'' ''Thank you.'' Nekomaru placed a hand on his shoulder. ''No, thank you for everything. For saving our friends and for allowing us into the shelter. But this is goodbye.'' The arm placed on him applied pressure and pushed forwards; Nekomaru had thrown him off the height on which they stood and he had landed in the horde of Despairs below.

Those closest began to leap onto him and claw at him and he found it difficult to gain both his bearings and a stance to defend himself. It took a few seconds and a few punches, kicks and even the occasional bite but eventually he stood and began fighting back. The motions came naturally to him and he was able to concentrate on locating Nekomaru through the crowd. He had already reached Akane and judging by the unconscious men and women in the street he had taken down a lot of Despairs in the process. It was time for him to do the same. He decided that wide, wild attacks that covered a lot of the space around him were better as he could hit as many targets at once as possible. The eerie silence of his attackers always disturbed him. The only sound coming from them was grunts, heavy breaths and cries of pain upon receiving a hit. Despite his strength and proficiency, he was constantly getting hit in the ribs and back. If he was to get out of this, he'd still be worse for wear. He could hear rapidly approaching footsteps, followed by a katana swing that sliced through the front lines. The next sword swings mowed down the rest and the Ultimate Swordswoman finally reached him and slashed the man on top of Hajime but caught him in the process. He cried out in pain and Peko became flustered. She was squinting hard but had obviously recognised Hajime from the voice.

''I am very sorry, Hajime. My vision is somewhat blurry as of right now.'' There was a large gash along his left hand side and blood was quite seeping from it. He reached into his pocket and produced the girl's glasses. She actually missed his hand the first time she attempted to grab them, demonstrating her poor eyesight. She found them the second time of asking and put them on. She blinked a handful of times to adjust herself before placing her katana back in it's sheath. She held out her hand and lifted the wounded man to his feet. ''Where are the others?'' Her voice seemed so innocent, so unaware. Hajime gave her the look. That look alone told her what she needed to know. ''Let's go home, Peko. I'll tell you on the way.'' He hobbled forwards, waving her away when she attempted to place her arm under him for support. ''I'll start by saying that they should both be fine. However….''

[][][][][][][][][][]

The hatch was wrenched open and the two began their descent into the shelter. Chiaki jogged over to the bottom of the ladder, a glass of orange juice in her hand. Hajime went slightly limp about three quarters of the way down and fell. Banging and whacking against the ladder, he hit the ground with a thud. A terrified Chiaki sat on her knees next to him and inspected his body. She almost screamed when she saw the blood on his shirt. Lifting the material allowed her and the others, who had come over after witnessing his collapse, to see the stab wound that stretched from hip to belly button. She placed her head in her hands and rested her forehead on Hajime's shoulder. He could hear her softly sobbing and wished that he could stretch an arm to rub her back.

''Wh-What happened to you?'' She said through her sniffles. Peko opened her mouth to speak but Hajime spoke quickest. ''Me and Peko got separated and I got surrounded. One of them stabbed me but…'' He flicked his eyes to the Swordswoman who gave him a small, appreciative smile. ''Peko saved me. So, thank you Peko.'' He managed to lift his hand and shape it into a thumbs up. Despite the gravity of their situation, Chiaki managed to shape her face into a gorgeous smile. Even if she wasn't running her hands through his hair, that smile alone would be enough to comfort him.

''Can someone please help me lift him, for god sakes?'' Mahiru had been gripping Hajime's legs for a little while now and no one had taken the hint that she was attempting to lift him. Fuyuhiko sighed and walked around the crowd and crouched down. He wrapped his arms under Hajime's armpits and gave the Ultimate Photographer a nod to lift him. The pair pulled him up; Hajime grunted and hissed in pain but decreased his volume when Chiaki squeezed his hand. ''If you set me down in my room, I can-'' Hajime interrupted himself with a a cry of pain. ''I… I can operate on myself with assistance.'' ''Are you fuckin' crazy?'' Fuyuhiko was loud and had clearly forgotten he was practically next to Hajime's ears. ''How the hell are you gonna do that?'' Hajime was swinging in their arms slightly as they trudged towards his room. ''I told you the first day we met that I am the Ultimate Ultimate. I have a talent for surgery.'' Mahiru made a strange noise at his claim. ''But you're operating on yourself, dummy.'' ''Well if it would make you feel better, you can help me.'' He spoke condescendingly at first but warped his tone to make the sentence become more of an invitation. The redhead raised her brows but quickly let her expression soften into an accepting, subtle smile. Fuyuhiko bumped his back into the door and awkwardly waddled backwards until they could lay the brown haired boy on the bed. Chiaki wandered into the room and sat on the bed next to his legs.

''Yeah, fucking whatever, just come right on in. I'm gonna go and get all the medical stuff I can find.'' He scratched the back of his head as he exited. Having managed to slide his jacket off, Hajime was struggling to remove his shirt. Chiaki leant over him and helped him tug off the article of clothing. Her eyes sparkled as she took in the sight of his chest. She turned to look at Mahiru behind her; she was clearly equally impressed with his toned physique. Judging by Mahiru's reddened cheeks and the heat she felt on her own face, they were both blushing very heavily. Luckily, Hajime had his eyes shut and was facing the ceiling regardless. The click of the door's mechanism caused the two entranced ladies to shake away their perverted thoughts. The Yakuza stood in the door and tossed a bag to Mahiru. ''You better not mess up, yeah?'' As he did a 180, Ibuki zoomed into the room and bumped him. ''Chiaki! Help me set up the Dreamcast!'' The entire room slowly pivoted their heads towards her. ''Are you fuckin' serious?'' Fuyuhiko was rubbing the shoulder that had been forced into the door when the Musician barged into him. ''Have you completely forgotten what just happened?'' Mahiru crossed her arms in frustration. Chiaki stood with a small sigh. ''It's okay everyone, I'll help her. Come on.'' She signalled for Ibuki to go to the TV and Fuyuhiko took the opportunity to slink away with her. Chiaki came to a halt at the door and gave Mahiru a stern look. Ibuki didn't do this out of ignorance. She wanted Chiaki away from it all to allow them to operate with full concentration. Without fear of Chiaki intervening or attempting something drastic, they were in the clear. The Photographer knew what the look meant and pulled the handles of the bag apart.

...

''So… you haven't exactly been a conversationalist since you found us. Do you have any hobbies? Or, well, I suppose it would be if you did have any hobbies now, wouldn't it?'' She was threading the stitches through the needle so her eyes were downcast. ''Izuru had many hobbies. Most of them involved observation and planning for the coming days.'' Mahiru tilted her head as a gesture to continue. ''He, or should I say 'I', had a particular interest in watching you.'' Mahiru gasped slightly and her cheeks tinged pink. ''W-Why?'' ''It may have been because he became aware of the murder of Natsumi Kuzuryuu and your potential involvement.'' Mahiru's blush quickly faded and her face fell into a frown. ''It would seem that murder has been quite common in my life.'' Both of them fell silent for a brief moment. ''I'm sorry. If I had managed to get to your class sooner, then there may have been fewer casualties, potentially none at all.''

''Why are you saying this to me?'' The needle was fully threaded and she let her hand fall palm up into her lap. ''Because you miss someone so special to you that everyone else's lost relationships look almost meaningless.'' Mahiru scrunched up her face and lifted her hand before thrusting it slowly towards Hajime's wound. He stopped her trembling limb just short of his abdomen, the needle a few millimetres away. ''If you need to stop for a moment, please do.'' He slowly pushed her hand down onto the surface of the bed and placed his hand atop hers. It took 2 minutes of slow, deep breathing and Hajime rubbing circles onto the back of her hand to calm her. Once she was ready, she held the needle head just in front of the end of his gash. ''Make the incision on the underside of it.'' He advised. The girl complied and pierced his skin with the needle. He grunted but the pain he had felt from the disinfectant he applied earlier was far greater. '' Now from here-'' ''I know how to sew.'' Her voice wasn't condescending. If anything there was a slight twinge of pride to her tone. The next few minutes were spent in quiet, the laboured breaths of the boy drowning out the soft ones of his counterpart of the fairer sex.

...

Her hands came to a stop just after the pointy end of the laceration. Whilst the cut was deep, he was sure he had some kind of regenerative abilities. He had to, right? ''We're all done, I'll just throw some gauze on it and call it a day on this.'' He snickered slightly at her beaming expression; she was clearly very proud of her work. She removed the plastic gloves she was wearing and used a small towel on the bed to pat her clammy hands dry. ''Can you try to get some gloves that don't make your hands sticky? That felt so gross.'' He laughed again at her expression. She was extremely emotive both vocally and facially. She grabbed a large piece of gauze and placed it onto the newly sewn wound. Unfortunately, she forgot to make him aware she was planning on doing this and Hajime jolted, grabbing and squeezing her free hand to distract him from the pain. He gradually relaxed again, waving away her rapid, distraught apologies. They stayed in the same position, however. Her left hand was still resting on his torso and her right hand still gripped his left tightly, their fingers even somewhat intertwined. They stared deeply at each other for a brief time, the blush on Mahiru's cheeks slowly making itself apparent. Neither made a move to close the gap between them. The gap would soon be greatly stretched as a knock on the door caught them both off guard. ''Can I come in?''

It was Chiaki. Mahiru was already standing and dusting off her skirt. ''Yeah!'' She shouted shakily. ''I… I'll see you 'round, Hajime.'' She hurried out of the room as the Gamer pushed the door open. She sounded extremely upset, if he was to pick a possible emotion, he'd say regret. And he didn't even get the oppurtunity to thank her properly. Chiaki appeared confused but shook it off as she took a seat next to Hajime's legs as she had done prior. She had no hesitation in wrapping her fingers around his hand and lightly pressing it. She looked downcast and Hajime shifted upwards in his bed. ''Please don't ever do something that dangerous again.'' He was taken aback. ''It's kind of necessary if we want to be comfortable and safe.'' ''I won't feel safe knowing that you might not be somewhere. I couldn't bare to think that I might lose you _again._ ''

That last part stung. He knew exactly what she was referring to and it hit him light a ton of bricks. He had left her for two years purely because he sought to be someone she could be proud of. Little did he know; she was always proud to be associated with him. ''I won't, I promise you.'' She finally turned to face him. There were fresh tears cascading down her face and his heart sank. He'd made her cry. Again. He pushed himself into a sitting position and pulled her into a hug with his free arm. It burned his side but he was willing to tolerate his pain if it alleviated Chiaki of hers. She kept a vice grip of his hand and rested her head against his chest. He stroked her hair as she had done for him and whispered reassurances. ''I'm okay, I'm okay. So are you. So is everyone else here.'' She snorted loudly before lifting her head so they were face to face. ''So you'll stop going out and getting hurt?'' It was a little annoying to hear that, considering it was the first time he'd actually been hurt on roughly 30 trips outside. But she was worried and mentioning that wouldn't help at all.

''I won't be going out for a while, trust me. And that's not just because of this cut.'' He was deliberately vague. Imagined images of nuclear wastelands sprung to mind. That would certainly stop him leaving for at least 12 weeks. His phrasing made it seem as if he was promising never to go looking for conflict again. Chiaki recognised this and began crying a new set of tears, these ones out of relief. She nuzzled into his neck and Hajime again ran his fingers through her ashy-pink locks. ''You promise to never leave me?'' Her voice was less desperate than it was at the beginning of her eulogy. ''Of course.'' She raised her head again. ''Good. I don't think I could live without the boy I love.''

She pressed her lips against his so quickly he couldn't even prepare. He kissed back and the two sat for about 10 seconds, revelling in the sensation. ''I really, really love you, Hajime. I've liked you for so, so long.'' She said softly as she pulled away. This was it. The moment he'd dreamt of when he was still seeing her during their first year. He wanted to confess his crush on that bench in front of the fountain so may times but never managed to pluck up the courage. After all this time, he could make his dream reality, even if the circumstances were grim. ''I-'' He stopped and produced the biggest smile he'd ever shown anyone. ''I love you, Chiaki.'' He fell back onto his pillow. He closed his eyes and pried them open a moment later. He could've believed this was a dream. The lingering heat on his lips and the warmth of her hand laced in his told him otherwise. He sat up again and watched her wipe at her eyes with her hoodie sleeves. There was a euphoric smile etched on her face which perfectly complemented the rosy hue of her cheeks. Hopefully he actually had that regenerative power. He had five days. Five days to head outside and find this girl, _his_ girl, the best bouquet the apocalypse had to offer.

 **Holy shit! This** **is definitely the longest thing I've ever written. I hope you enjoyed. I'd like to ask a question for the readers while I have the opportunity. Do you guys want more scenes with the whole group dynamic or some scenes where there's only a handful of characters interacting? It'd be nice to know if you'd like some fleshing out before we get onto the next major story arcs. I haven't started writing the next chapter yet so I can certainly write what you guys would like. If there are any characters or things about this world you'd like explained, please leave a review asking for it. As always, thank you for reading!**

 **P.S Thanks to SourCandylol, it's always nice to receive a positive messsge!**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: Hello! I decided, as mentioned at the end of the last chapter, to start including more personal chapters and segments of chapters that will be spent showing the relationships between characters and how the apocalypse has changed them. Hopefully people won't be too mad if this slows the story slightly but if that's the case and enough people want it I'll just skip straight to the main theme. (I'd also like to say, I had genuinely no idea I could reply to reviews until the day before writing this. I'm an idiot.) Enjoy!**

Most of Makoto's days in the shelter were quiet. He would occasionally venture outside but only under the watchful gazes of Peko or Hajime. Although he appreciated how important they considered him to be, it would be nice if they allowed him to go out on his own or to just sit in the remains of the park with Kyoko. Other than their room, he struggled to find a time to be alone with his girlfriend. He was actually struggling to find at time to do anything personal with anyone he spent time in the Academy with. Aoi was almost always exercising and whilst Makoto enjoyed the conversation that came from that, it was difficult not to bring up something saddening or dark. That was the situation they were in, however. Everything could be harkened back to a 'lack of this' and 'I miss that.' The Swimmer herself missed her donuts and, of course, swimming. Yasuhiro missed his occult gear. Toko missed the books and literature she was almost always absorbed in. Kyoko clearly aimed to investigate the outside more but was restricted by the dangers of the outside. She clearly thought she was capable of handling herself but the earlier incident where Izuru was forced into saving her still put doubts in both her and Makoto's mind. Byakuya missed…something. Hopefully; it was unclear how fazed he truly was by the apocalypse and the loss of his empire. And then there was Junko. Since Chisa's first chat with the group two weeks ago, she had been surprisingly quiet. She no longer attempted conversation from her room and was gifted extra time outside of it as a treat for ending her jabs and verbal attacks. Not that she really made the most of this extended interval. The majority of it was spent trying to make small talk with 'her' Makoto. Although Kyoko remained wary (Toko insisted it was out of jealousy rather than concerns for his safety), he at least humoured the blonde with the occasional reply or, more recently, full-blown conversation. The topics in these conversations were often dull but Junko's eccentricity always managed to keep him engaged. As well as deeply concerning him. She did seem to care little for despair as she claimed before and it almost appeared as if she felt regretful. He knew that she wasn't. That didn't stop him hoping.

Besides Junko's gradual attitude change, there was a lot of differences in the shelter. Byakuya clearly held a lot of the group's hostility on his shoulders. His back injury was more severe than Hajime had first assumed; the swelling and bruising made it evident that it would take some time before he could reach his previous mobility. He spent most of his time bedridden as the pain was too great to allow for walking. Toko spent most of her time sitting with him, talking with him and pacing around the living room thinking about him. He seemed to bare her better than he ever had before but whether that was due to his inability to escape her or a newfound like for the Writer, no one knew.

Hajime was still preparing for their eventual exit; Nekomaru's men would be here in just over 3 months now if his estimations were correct. The group had met Hajime and his class 22 days ago but had rarely seen him relaxing. He had been moving supplies around and, judging by the slowly emptying nature of the pantry and the storerooms, they were going to another shelter permanently. Ibuki, Mahiru and Chiaki were trying to offer help to the brunet, but he refused and allowed them to instead talk to Chisa, who had been contacting them every day. Little by little, she was gaining a better overall view of life in the shelter and the circumstances that led to it's creation and use. Hopefully the class could reunite with her in person some day soon.

Makoto was sitting around on the couch as he did most days, attempting to finally beat Mahiru in a Smash Bros. 1v1. He hadn't beaten a single person yet, even Kyoko who had never played before. He was taken by surprise when Hajime sat down next to him and pulled a mobile phone from his pocket. It was an extremely old flip phone but it seemed to not only be working but sending text messages. ''I'm going to the hospital today if anybody wants to come with me.'' He spoke without looking up. Makoto glanced at him and nodded. The taller boy responded with a thankful smile. When the Luckster fixed his eyes back on the screen, he had already lost to Mahiru, who was staring at him with a gloating smile. He rolled with eyes with a grin before handing the controller to Chiaki. The Gamer struggled to hold both the device and Hiyoko so she allowed it to fall to the floor with a thud. ''Anyone else want to go?'' Hajime crooked his next back and yelled out. ''I do~!'' Aoi poked her head out of Ibuki and Mahiru's room. The Rocker also jumped out from behind the frame and thumbed at herself. ''Alrighty then.'' Hajime put the phone in his pocket and stretched his arms behind his head. ''You can ride shotgun Ibuki.'' The girl giggled gleefully.

It came as no surprise to Makoto that there was a vehicle the group could use. He just wasn't expecting it to be in such good condition. There was a house with a garage in the road behind the one the hatch was placed and Hajime had stored a large people carrier in it. The car had seven seats and had grey leather covers over each one. The car itself was painted dark blue which was certainly useful for avoiding unwanted attention at night. Hajime pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the doors. He ushered Makoto and Aoi onto the second row of seats, the two short teens buckling their seatbelts. Ibuki slid the door shut and traced around the car before hopping in the passenger seat. She put her feet up on the dash and laid back. Hajime slid the keys into the ignition and the car rumbled into life. ''Y'know, I used to have this car black and white like Monokuma.'' He tilted his head back so his voice reached the two behind him easier. ''Why's that?'' Aoi asked hesitantly. ''So bandits were afraid to come close. Who wants to attack a car that looks like a Monokuma droid?'' He stepped on the gas and they pulled out of the garage and onto the road. ''Wait, Monokuma droid?'' Makoto asked. ''Yeah, Enoshima released a bunch of Monokuma robots into the ruins just before the killing game started to kill people or make them watch your Killing Game with screens they had built in. Did Junko never mention that?'' Aoi looked at Makoto blankly and he shrugged instinctively. ''So everyone knows about Monokuma and the Killing Game in Japan?'' The Swimmer questioned, intrigued by this new information. Ibuki had clearly heard this before but was looking at Hajime in a way that inferred she was learning this for the first time. ''Junko really didn't demonstrate how far she broadcast the game, did she?'' Both of the pair in the back seats shook their heads. Hajime chuckled. ''The whole world knows who you guys are. At least, the surviving world.'' Makoto looked to Ibuki for confirmation. Her grin told him all he needed to know.

The rest of the drive felt strange to him. He hadn't been in a car or any kind of vehicle for at least 2 years. What came as the biggest surprise was the cleanliness of the route they were taking. There were no barricades along the roads and no rubble to redirect them. He told himself that Hajime had most likely done it purely to ease his access to the hospital. He and Aoi both chose to sit back and enjoy the journey. They eventually left the suburbs and exited the city altogether. The countryside was an odd site. The grass was certainly green and seemed healthy. ''Is the country less radiated than the cities?'' Hajime adjusted the mirror and rolled down the window. ''Breathe that air and tell me, Makoto.'' Makoto did as requested. There was a soft breeze that rolled into the car. It was cool and smelt… natural. Aoi sat behind Ibuki in the passenger seat and even she noticed the freshness of the air that flew in from the driver side opening. The Ultimate Lucky Student rolled down his window slightly too and took the opportunity to gaze off into the distance. There was what seemed like endless fields of green grass and new, budding bushes and trees. Yes, there were some patches of dead, brown grass that emasculated the overall image but it was refreshing to see _something_ growing. Ibuki took her window down all the way and leant out of it. She exhaled deeply and let her arms hang out of the door. Makoto could see Hajime's warming expression and felt one appearing on his own face. ''If you guys like it here so much, why not just, like, live out here?'' The Ultimate Ultimate's smile wavered for a moment but quickly found itself renewed. ''You'll see during this car ride, I'm sure.''

The four sat in content silence, listening to the wind whistle past them and even the occasional birdsong. Had birds really not changed their migration pattern? ''Got a live one, Ibuki.'' Hajime sighed. Ibuki blew a raspberry as she reached for an object at her feet. Her hands emerged holding a baseball bat. She leant out the window again, this time leaving Hajime to grip her blouse as she pushed her entire upped body out the opening. She gripped the bat in both hands and waited. Makoto craned his neck to see what she was targeting. There was an enormous hovering bug on the horizon. It resembled a wasp but the blood and vile mass of tumours and matted flesh meant it was difficult to determine. It was probably ten times more disgusting than the rats. He was glad they didn't encounter them much in the city. As the car approached it Ibuki placed the bat on her shoulder in preparation for a swing. ''3 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi-'' Her knuckles went white. ''ONE!'' She yelled. With the strength of her swing and the momentum of the car, there was more than enough power to kill the monstrosity. The insect exploded into blood and viscera. A small splatter was left on the windscreen and Hajime turned on the wipers. A moment later that splatter became a watery smear. Ibuki fell back into her seat and flicked the blood off the end of the wooden bat. ''I take it that those kind of things are the reason you stay in the cities?'' He asked, unintentionally displaying his disappointment. ''They'll die out one day. When that day happens I'm going to take Hiyoko for a walk in the woods.'' Hajime shuffled in his seat and gave them both an enormous smile. Aoi clearly found it infectious, smiling so hard she had to squint her eyes. Those beaming faces lasted for another few minutes, until they left the overgrown roads on the outskirts and returned to the cracked asphalt of the suburbs.

Keio University Hospital loomed in the distance; the tall cuboid building remained slightly taller than the other buildings despite the destruction. The bombs had impacted on the opposite side of the city and, without plant overgrowth and the abandonment of property, there was little damage to this sector. The car slowed to a halt right outside the hospital's main entrance. Hajime motioned for Ibuki to get out as he exited his side. He slid the large door open and the pair in the middle seats hopped out. The road here wasn't overgrown and had no rubble along it's entire length, he noticed as his sneakers made contact with the floor. Hajime stood with his arms crossed at the bottom of the stairs and faced the two 78th class students. Ibuki jogged and stood next to him, arm locked in a mock salute. ''Before we go in, I have something to say. This hospital and the community within it is overseen by members of the 79th class of Hope's Peak. Though you won't remember them, they may remember you. Please try to bare that in mind.'' He nodded, spun on his heels and walked up the small flight of stairs. He thrust the doors open and made his way inside.

The interior was immaculately clean. The floor seemed to be freshly waxed and the walls appeared to have been painted within the same time frame. There were plenty of people walking around and they all seemed to be washed and in good health. Those who were close enough to see Makoto and Aoi's faces gasped and looked at them in pure admiration. Some even asked to shake his hand or get him to autograph something. Had their victory in the Killing School Life really meant that much? A tall girl with short silver hair and very pale skin stood talking to some children at the reception area. She had a large bang that covered her left eye and wore formal servant's attire under a doctors coat. She gave them a side eye and placed her clipboard on the desk. Hajime made a small wave and approached her. ''Hey there, Kirumi.'' ''Hello, Mr Hinata. Have you come to see Shuichi?'' He raised a brow. ''No one tell you we were coming?'' He seemed confused. ''They may have, but I've been very busy and may have forgotten. Forgive me.'' She bowed in apology. ''It's okay, no harm done. Do you know where he is?'' She stood upright again and pointed up. ''He is most likely in his office with Ms. Akamatsu. Would you like me to take you to them?'' ''No thanks, I'd actually like to introduce you to Makoto and Aoi.'' The two stepped forwards and the tanned girl offered a handshake. Kirumi slipped her gloved appendage into hers and shook lightly. She held her left hand which Makoto took without hesitation. She relinquished her grip and crossed her arms behind her back. ''I am Kirumi Tojo. At Hope's Peak, my talent was the Ultimate Maid. Please don't hesitate to ask me anything during your time here; my purpose is to answer any request.'' ''The job you've done cleaning this place is wonderful. It's a pleasure to meet you Kirumi, or would you prefer Ms. Tojo?'' Makoto asked politely. ''That is perfectly fine, Mr. Naegi. Feel free to address me however you like, Ms. Asahina. It is only fitting for my upperclassmen and the ones who defeated Junko Enoshima.'' She bounced on her toes and placed her hands on her hips. ''Anyway, I must be returning to my duties. Feel free to ask me for anything.'' As Makoto and Aoi turned their backs, she grabbed both of them by the shoulders. ''And I do mean- _anything._ '' The Swimmer turned bright red and Ibuki burst out laughing. Kirumi picked up the clipboard and went back to chatting to the children. The four started walking to the stairs with Ibuki still cackling at Aoi's slowly fading blush.

The 2nd floor was just as neat and tidy as the first. Makoto obviously had no idea where he was going so he just followed Ibuki who strode at the front of the pack. When she ignored everyone in the hallway and set course for the next staircase, neither Makoto nor Aoi questioned it. A couple sat on the first step and the man's face lit up upon seeing them. He waved with extreme vigour. Ibuki gasped. ''Maki Roll!'' She shrieked before sprinting at the two. A girl with jet black hair and red eyes sat with her head resting on her chin. She was evidently far less enthusiastic than the man to her left. He had spiky purple hair and a jacket that matched that same colour perfectly. As Ibuki narrowed the distance the girl stood and dusted down her blood red blouse and black skirt. She tugged on her partner's arm to get him to his feet and fixed the white dress shirt he wore under his jacket. Ibuki leapt into both of them, wrapping them up in her arms. ''How are ya, Ibuki?'' The man asked. ''Ibuki is fine! I should be asking you that after your operation!'' The man chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. ''I'm holding up pretty good, Izuru fixed me up real nice.'' He wrenched the Musician off him and lifted his shirt, showing an enormous scar that traced a path from belly button to just bellow his left pectoral. Makoto, having finally reached the three after Ibuki ran off, stared absent-mindedly. The spiky-haired boy gave him a quizzical look before doing a double take upon realising who was looking at him. ''Oh shit! You're Makoto Naegi! I love your work, man!'' He slapped a hand on the shorter boy's shoulder. Makoto flinched and yelped. He still experienced pain from the bullet wound he suffered before. ''Okay, come on.'' The dark-haired girl separated the two boys. And stood between them. She pointed at the boy. ''Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut.'' Then she pointed at herself. ''Maki Harukawa, the Ultimate Child Caregiver and Ultimate Assassin.''

Her face remained stoic and unfeeling throughout the introduction. ''It's nice to meet you.'' The Luckster considered a handshake but just wobbled his arm like an idiot while Maki looked on in disgusted confusion. He looked to the floor in embarrassment and shoved his hand in his jacket pocket. ''Riiiiight.'' Maki rolled her eyes and took a step back, making sure to pull Kaito back with her. ''Hold on, you have two Ultimate talents?'' Aoi piped up with a finger on her chin in confusion. ''I lived in an orphanage most of my life. I looked after the other kids before I was taken and trained by an underground assassins guild. I worked as an assassin to make money to support the kids.'' Aoi had a bewildered look on her face, only shaking it away when she noticed how Maki was looking at her. ''Are you good with kids, at least?'' The Olympian threw a hand over her mouth in shock at how condescending she sounded. ''I'm so so sorry! I didn't mean it like that.'' Her voice barely reached Maki. To everyone's surprise the Assassin smiled. ''It's okay. I know I don't look like much of a nurturer but… kids just like me. I don't know why. I actually teach a kindergarten class in the nursery downstairs every morning.'' A tiny smile snuck it's way onto her face and Kaito wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Maki seemed hesitant to show affection in front of strangers but leant into him gradually. Hajime took the opportunity to speak. ''As much as we'd like to stay and chat, we have to see Shuichi.'' He flicked his eyes to Kaito. ''Office?'' He pointed up. ''Y-Yeah. My sidekick should be in there.'' He grinned from ear to ear and gave the group a thumbs-up. ''I'll be showing these guys around some more after our little meeting. Feel free to find Makoto and Aoi later, yeah?'' Hajime quickly looked at both Kaito and his idols, eyebrows raised as if to invite confirmation. ''We can definitely talk later if you'd like.'' Aoi sounded confident but was clearly finding this scenario as awkward as everyone else was. ''Nice!'' He now had two thumbs up. Hajime began walking past the couple up the stairs and Makoto jumped into action to follow. ''Bye Bye!'' Ibuki hugged the two again and jogged up the steps to walk with the three who'd trudged off. Kaito spun and looked at Maki. He held out a hand and rotated his wrist as encouragement for her to speak. She sighed. ''We'll walk and talk.'' She sped off ahead of him. He smirked to himself as he chased after her.

The 3rd floor was equally well kept but had considerably less people roaming the halls. Hajime made a bee line for a room on the left side. He poked his head around the door and slowly turned the corner. There was a small waiting area outside of a large conference room. A girl with blonde hair lay on one of the couches asleep. She was in a serious state of undress, barely covering her breasts with a tech magazine. Everything else was on full display and Makoto had to make a hardy effort to look away. Ibuki was blatantly staring and Aoi placed a hand across her to stop her making a bad decision. Hajime crept over and clapped his hands above her face. The girl awoke with a scream. ''What the fuck!?'' She looked furious. ''Couldn't you let Shuichi wake me up like I wanted?'' She sounded extremely disappointed. She slumped back onto the couch seemingly unaware that her only cover had fallen to the floor. ''Put some clothes on please, Miu.'' A new voice came from the door to the conference room. Another blonde stood with a disapproving look on her face. ''And don't tell me you lost them like you tried to say last time.'' Both blondes puffed out her cheeks in frustration. This was clearly a common occurrence. Miu reached behind the couch and pulled out a large shirt. She sat up and pulled the white shirt on. She did the first 5 buttons and laid back down. The blonde at the door huffed. ''Um, bottom half?'' Miu groaned. ''Ever heard of crossing your damn legs you flat-chested hussy?'' The girl at the door dusted off her pink sweater before stomping over. ''Will you just leave? I'm not having you showing us up when we have important guests!'' She shook her arms up and down in annoyance. ''What guests?'' Miu said exasperatedly. ''Really?'' The girl with the musical notes skirt motioned towards Makoto and Aoi. ''These ones? The ones you flashed your b-boobs at? And god kn-knows what else?'' She gave the four an apologetic glance. ''Oh shit! You're the guys from that Junko bitch's killing game!'' She swung her legs off the couch and stood, looking them up and down. ''Makoto Nae-gay and Saggy Swimmer girl!'' ''Hey! What the heck!'' Aoi furrowed her brow and approached Miu. ''Eeeee!'' Miu shrunk into herself and held her hands out protectively. ''Wow, you're pathetic.'' Aoi appeared to be genuinely sympathetic. Miu hung her head and left. ''Is nobody gonna try anything while she's dressed like that?'' Aoi asked the mediating girl. ''As if a girl who did shirtless towel treatment on her balcony is aware of onlookers.'' Ibuki said as she stuck her tongue out at the tanned girl. ''Hey! I told you that in confidence!'' Aoi turned beet red for the second time today. It didn't help her that even Makoto was laughing. He was the first to know! It made sense that he'd never joke about it though. It was embarrassing enough to admit it to him alone and he knew that. She was shook out of her thoughts as the rest of their group followed the blonde into the conference room.

The blonde took a seat at the the head of the table next to a boy dressed in a dark suit and a black flat cap. Blue hair could be seen exploding out from underneath the headwear, providing a stark contrast to his ghostly white skin. ''Take a seat everyone.'' He had a voice that sounded eerily similar to Leon's but with more of a sophisticated air to it. Makoto took a seat at the other end of the table, a good 20 feet from the pale boy. The blonde giggled. ''You can sit up here, you know.'' He looked down in embarrassment and tucked his chair in. Hajime and Ibuki sat opposite at the 'business' end so he sat across from Aoi. The pale boy adjusted his hat. ''Welcome, Makoto, Aoi. I'm Shuichi Saihara, the 2nd Ultimate Detective. I run this hospital and govern the community.'' He quieted down. The blonde cleared her throat. ''I am Kaede Akamatsu, hopefully soon to be Kaede Saihara.'' There was an enthusiastic lilt on her voice as she finished that sentence. ''I hope we can all get along. Oh and I was the Ultimate Pianist.'' Shuichi was blushing from the earlier comment but found the words he needed despite the distraction. ''I was hoping that our two communities could come together for some trade and potential help against bandits.'' He laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them. ''We know that Hajime is the Ultimate Ultimate and we know that Makoto is the Ultimate Hope. We were hoping that those two talents combined could benefit the both of us.'' Hajime raised a brow in interest. ''We already trade on agreed bi-weekly intervals. What is it that you need so much you'd ask for more?'' ''Well, I know it isn't incredibly fair considering how little we give to you in return for your generosity and I'd like to offer you some more baby-related stuff as well as some more recreational gear.'' Ibuki grinned devilishly. ''What kind of gear?'' Kaede pointed behind Ibuki, who spun to find a bass guitar in a shiny, eggplant colour. ''Just one example.'' Kaede's eyes widened as Ibuki grabbed her shoulders and began shaking her in thanks. ''It's nothing really, I just remember how much you enjoyed playing with me in the school band during those first few months of my first year.'' ''Ibuki recalls! We even had Sayaka on lead vocals!'' She turned to Makoto and Aoi. ''You don't remember the band, do you?'' Makoto's face fell. Another pleasant school time he had no chance of bringing up in his head. And it involved Sayaka. ''No. I-I don't.'' The others could judge his expression and chose not to press him on the delicate issue. Hajime chose to continue the conversation before a silence so depressing hung over them to halt all future conversation. ''Why did you suddenly want to give us things for Hiyoko?'' The young couple looked at each other and smiled. ''Well we were thinking of having kids of our own. When we considered how difficult it would be to raise a child in this environment, we realised how difficult it must be for you.'' Hajime's face softened and he looked down into the wooden grain of the large meeting table. ''Having a child was one of the greatest things I've ever done. When I look at her little face, I know that Izuru is wrong; Emotion doesn't make you weak.'' His eyes were slightly glazed as if he were in a world of his own. He slowly looked up and waited for Shuichi or Kaede to respond. The pair of them seemed to be basking in the warm, fatherly glow that Hajime emanated. ''That's wonderful.'' Kaede gripped Shuichi's hand atop the desk. ''If I may offer some advice, however.'' Shuichi gave him a brisk nod. ''Try to make the time of conception as convenient as possible for you in terms of both supplies and the attitudes of those you care for. We made the mistake of conceiving without checking if we had the means to raise a child. Luckily, Izuru already planned for that scenario.'' His mouth was a straight line. He had no intention of joking and Makoto knew why. The conception had been unplanned, but not from Izuru's perspective. ''We'll be sure to make note of that.'' The Detective straightened his cap and stood. He turned to a whiteboard behind him. ''Now, about those bandits…''

The situation The Detective spoke of and The Pianist drew was nowhere near as complicated as it seemed to the hospital's scared residents. A small group of armed bandits had been spotted on the other side of a barrier created by the 79th class to prevent quick and effective theft. They had given them an ultimatum; hand over their leaders and allow their execution or 'face punishment time!' Makoto could only sneer inwardly at the lack of tact in their phrasing. They had until 6pm and had little time to prepare. Shuichi's class had told the residents that they were planning away and insisted upon their safety but the nearly 100 strong faction was growing restless. Miu was too unreliable to create defences despite her Ultimate Inventor talent and despite Gonta's (who Makoto had difficulty imagining based on description) physical strength he was not only too passive but would be one man against several. Maki had been indecisive of stopping the invasion force as it would change how the children she taught saw her. ''So what do you propose we do?'' Kaede gripped the pen tightly in her hand and swayed back in forth, her sweater smudging her colourful map of the hospital and it's neighbouring roads and buildings behind her on the board. Hajime laughed. ''Don't worry. I'll stick around to stop them. Just don't let anyone outside the barrier's boundaries until I give the all clear.'' He slowly got out of his seat and stretched. ''4:32pm now. I'll see everyone in a few hours.'' He strode towards the door. Makoto's face warped in confusion. He too stood, excused himself and ran after him.

''Hey! Wait up!'' Hajime narrowed his gait and allowed The Luckster to catch up. ''Why lie back there?'' Makoto purposely left his voice void of suspicion or anger. ''I assume you're talking about Hiyoko's conception.'' The younger boy nodded once. ''Listen, pal. Despite my mind not having much involvement in it, my body still helped create something wonderful. And I don't just think that because she's my daughter.'' He held his hands up as if to deflect invisible waves of accusation. ''Hiyoko is important for everyone. She was Peko and Fuyuhiko's inspiration to have a child and it's Shuichi and Kaede's now. People feel safe in the knowledge that a child can be born and raised safely in a shitty world like this. Why not keep up appearances when all this good is made from it?'' Makoto stumbled around the creation of a sentence before falling silent. ''You… You're right.'' Hajime's hand clasped around his shoulder. ''I knew you'd understand.'' He let his arm drop to his side and walked backwards towards the stairs. ''I'd invite you along but it'd definitely be too dangerous. Stay here until I get back, yeah?'' Makoto's head was still cast down into the floor but he lifted his thumb in affirmation. ''Good. See you.'' Hajime 180'd and jogged down the stairs.

''StAy HeRe UnTiL I GeT BaCk YeAh?'' Hajime perched atop a roof along the road leading to the barrier the bandits had appeared at. ''What stupid phrasing! I may as well have invited him along!'' He grumbled as he tapped the ground rapidly with impatience. ''Do you always talk to yourself like that?'' A sarcastic voice reached him and he felt slightly relieved. ''Do you always try to sneak up on people?'' Maki exhaled sharply in what he assumed to be amusement. ''Touché.'' She crouched next to him. ''What made you change your mind? About the kids I mean.'' Maki pulled a knife from a sheath on her boot and spun in around in her fingers. ''It was dumb of me to care anyway. If I don't do this then they either die or see me as weak and if I do… then they could be scared of me.'' The Assassin scraped the knife's tip against the surface of the roof. ''Is that what you fear most about this?'' Hajime's eyes caught movement in this distance. ''Of course not. The scariest thing would be dying. Though that isn't likely.'' She stood and pulled a single shuriken from a pouch on her belt. She placed it between her forefinger and middle finger and reeled back her arm. Her blood red eyes held an animalistic intensity. ''I'll jump down when you throw.'' He shuffled forward on his butt and dangled his legs over the side. Despite the fact it wasn't even 6pm, the wintery sun was already retreating behind the horizon. That would make his movement difficult to see. Maki took a deep breath. And threw. The sharp instrument glinted in the low light but still found a target towards the back of the group of low-lives. His throat erupted into blood, coating his comrades' backs. Hajime pushed off with his hands and fell directly down into a heap of trash. Not exactly the superhero landing he wanted but it was far more convenient. Maki leapt across rooftops and began launching more projectiles. The momentary confusion of the first kill had worn off for the bandits and they had begun to search with flashlights and weapons untold. Hajime ducked behind a barricade and peered over. 6 targets. 4 armed. All possessed close range weaponry. Easy work.

Maki had the bright idea of constantly changing her location and remaining up high. The barrage of shuriken failed to match the accuracy of her primary toss but a few had met flesh and caused injury. The group of adversaries had the not-so-bright idea of moving so far away from each other that they could be picked off one-by-one. He had already killed one of the raiders and left their body on an alley. He had yet to be discovered by the others and he doubted that they would ever find him. ''Gah! Shit!'' A panicked bandit stumbled forward and onto the ground in front of the rubble he was waiting behind. The distinct sound of a blade being pulled from a wound and a scream alarmed his friends on the other side of the road. Hajime hurdled the barrier, seized the injured man by his throat and hopped back over into his temporary lair. He snapped his neck as he had his previous kill and gently let the corpse droop to the cold asphalt. Two gurgled cries came from down the street and when he peaked over his cover a pair of men laid in the middle of the road with gashes on their throats. He hurdled the rubble again and sprinted towards the two remaining men. The Ultimate Ultimate was joined by The Ultimate Assassin as he sped towards the last remainders of the evildoers. Maki launched a knife at the man who lagged behind the other. If the edge was any sharper, it may have split his head in two as it lodged into his skull. The last survivor fell onto his rear and held his hands up in a measly attempt to protect his body. Maki and Hajime slowed themselves to a halt in front of the cowering man. ''Well, if it isn't the Ultimate Child Assassin.'' He mocked in a creepy tone. ''What?'' Maki held a hand outwards and gripped the end of the gas mask the short man wore. ''How do you know who I am?'' ''Nishishishi…'' Maki growled and clenched the nozzle at the end of the mask. The laughing became wilder and more about aggravating the dark-haired girl than humouring her. She put her boot on his throat and tore the mark from him. Purple hair. Crazy, almost inhuman eyes. Maki spat on the boy in front of them. ''Kokichi.''

 **Thanks for reading! I apologise for the lack of updates but I've been writing a new Persona 5 story. It won't take time from this but I'd like to get a few chapters fledged out whilst I update this story. Til next time!**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Hello! Not really much to say other than thank you to those who actually bother reading this. Enjoy!**

Maki seized Kokichi by the throat. His grating laugh slowly petered out into a gargled choking sound. He made no attempts to break free of her grasp and let himself go limp. ''We're taking him back home. Can you tie his arms with one of the dead guys' belts?'' Hajime nodded and obliged. He tore a leather belt from the closest corpse and constricted the arms of the Ultimate Supreme Leader. ''Stand up.'' Maki pulled the boy up to his feet and urged him to begin walking. ''You try anything funny I'm slicing you're Achilles' tendons and you're crawling there.'' He was still laughing as he trudged along, much to Maki's annoyance. It wouldn't be a long walk to the hospital, luckily. ''Why was he a member of a raider group?'' Hajime walked side by side with the Assassin. She sighed and turned to him. ''He left in the night a few months ago. Nobody cared when he left, except for Shuichi. I think that's only really about keeping the class together.'' Hajime's face clearly showed his frustration. ''Why didn't any of you tell me this? I met with Rantaro and Angie plenty of times for trade.'' Kokichi's laugh got louder upon hearing that. ''This prick was useless to us. All he did was start arguments and cause trouble. It was better for everyone when he left.'' She was clearly seething with rage. His return was definitely a detriment to her friends. He decided not to press her anymore.

The walk wasn't long. The fight was only a few blocks away after all. They stood in an alley directly across from the hospital. ''I'll approach first.'' Maki said. ''That way they'll know that they aren't going to be taken over by a group of nobodies.'' She glared at Kokichi as she said that last part before flicking one of her pigtails over her shoulder and striding out of cover. Hajime held Kokichi's forearm tightly to make sure he didn't try to interrupt. He didn't know him or most of his class very well but he was aware enough of his behavioural type to know he was impulsive and annoying. As soon as Maki was a good thirty feet away, he tugged Kokichi out of the alleyway and dragged him up the road. ''Why aren't you speaking? If my impression of you is accurate, you don't shut up. Ever.'' Kokichi grinned ear to ear. ''You just wait until my class all come out to see me.'' Hajime chose to stay quiet. This wasn't going to end well.

A huge crowd was waiting outside the hospital's front entrance. When Maki walked up the long road to the gate and came into view, huge roars of celebration erupted. Shuichi began clapping and urged the rest of the crowd to do it too. Maki found it difficult to react happily to the round of applause as she slowly made her way to her leader. Makoto jogged over to her. ''Where's Hajime?'' The ravenette thumbed behind her. Hajime was walking, expressionless, up the winding road. ''I would suggest ushering the non-Ultimates inside now.'' Shuichi whispered to Gonta as he slowly brought down the volume of the celebrations. The behemoth of a man nodded and he, along with another member of the class who had green hair, gradually pushed people back through the doors with the promise of a heightened happy-hour later. The front of the building now had an eerie silence over it. The quiet was only broken by the occasional gust of freezing wind.

Hajime and his hostage climbed the stairs and reached them. Miu, who was fully clothed now, signalled for Hajime to hand Kokichi over. He pushed the purple-haired boy to her and the Ultimate Inventor had no hesitation when she threw the boy back down the steps, the Leader landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom. Maki looked at the blonde and nodded approvingly. She ran down the stairs and dragged the pained boy further from the stairs and into deposited him in the centre of the parking spaces across from the main entrance. Maki snapped her fingers to signal Shuichi over. The rest of the class seemed to notice as well and soon all 14 members of the class stood around Kokichi. The short boy struggled to stand and resigned himself to sitting on his knees. ''Hey guys! Long time no see!'' He attempted a singsong voice but it seemed that he was too raspy. ''Why did you leave Kokichi? And where did you go?'' Shuichi demanded as he adjusted his hat to allow Kokichi, and to an extent the rest of his class, that he was not to be trifled with. The fire in his eyes said all that needed to be said about his attitude towards Kokichi. ''You guys were fucking boring! Once you killed Tsumugi all the fun went away!'' Kokichi tugged at the rough body armour he wore, stripping the chest plate off and tossing it to the floor. ''Are you fuckin' crazy? We had to kill that stupid slut!'' Miu retorted. ''Typical degenerate; of course he doesn't know right from wrong.'' A girl in a blue dress who had similar pigtails to Maki piped up. ''Let's just put him in a bag and I'll make him disappear.'' A redhead girl in a witches' hat leant on Kaede mumbled. Shuichi sighed deeply. ''I don't care what you did or where you went, if I'm honest. I'd just like to know one thing.'' Kokichi snickered and pulled off the last portion of his body armour, the bracer on his left leg. ''And what might that be? If I'm a good kisser? If robots have dicks?'' An incoherent reply came from a single classmate. He rearranged himself so he was on his knees again and shuffled towards the 2nd Ultimate Detective.

''When you and your group claimed they'd 'kill all of the Ultimates who run this place', did you mean it? Would you have killed us?'' Kokichi pouted, collecting himself. ''Well, yeah. Definitely.'' Shuichi shook his head slowly and gave Maki and Kirumi a knowing look. Kokichi continued speaking, blissfully unaware of Shuichi walking away despite the boy still being within his eyeline. ''I probably wouldn't kill Maki, though. It'd be awesome to see her face as we pin her down and make her watch as we slit Kaito's thro-'' A sharp sword swing interrupted.

There was a brief period of silence before Kokichi's head rolled off his shoulders and fell to the floor with a squelching thud. A small stream of blood sprayed directly upwards from the stump before the body relaxed entirely. Kirumi scowled at the two portions of the corpse and then at Maki, who gazed blankly at the former Ultimate Supreme Leader, the grip on her katana tightening rapidly. Kaito quickly walked over and led her by the hand, directing her back into the building. Kirumi shrugged to herself before pulling a body bag from the backpack Gonta wore on his back. The redhead and the girl in the blue dress led everyone besides Gonta and Kirumi inside. No one dared to glance back at the body once more. The Ultimate Entomologist, as Makoto had recently learnt, used his enormous stature and size to his advantage. He effortlessly plucked Kokichi's headless corpse (which had rather frighteningly remained sitting in a kneeling position)off the ground and deposited it in the bag Kirumi had laid on the parking lot floor. Kirumi looked away from the head as she grabbed it and practically threw it in the bag as to get it out of sight as soon as possible. He couldn't blame her. Even from his and Aoi's position at the right of the stairs a good distance away, he had seen the sly, deviant grin the twitching features of the head still held.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. Was this really the way his underclassmen dealt with threats to their safety? He had no doubt in it's effectiveness but this was someone they'd known. Someone they'd interacted with during their time at the Academy. Did that mean nothing? And who was this 'Tsumugi?' Why was she killed? He shook his head to bring himself out of his thoughts. He looked up the stairs to see Shuichi looking over proceedings in the parking lot. He gave Aoi a small smile. ''I'm going to speak to Shuichi. I'll be right back.'' She nodded but looked shaken. ''Hey, Makoto? When we get back later, can I have a conversation with you?'' Makoto stood but still kept eye contact. ''About?'' He urged her on. ''About… everything? I just need therapy or… someone to listen, I guess.'' Makoto placed a hand on her shoulder. He nodded. ''You don't need to ask for me to help you. Just tell me when you're down and me and everyone else will try to bring you up. Sound good?'' The Swimmer smiled widely up at him. ''Thanks, Makoto. You're a good friend.'' He spun and walked up the stairs.

''Uh, Shuichi?'' The dark-haired boy seemed almost unaware of his presence until he spoke. ''Oh. Hey. Need anything?'' He looked almost happy to see him. ''Who's 'Tsumugi?''' Shuichi still kept his glad expression but there was a forced aspect to it now. ''Someone from our class. She was the Ultimate Cosplayer. Long blue hair. Glasses. Plain face. Obsessed with the paranormal in spells.'' He spoke as if reading a list of traits a robot had written. ''Kokichi said she was killed.'' Shuichi flinched. ''So you heard that?'' He sighed deeply again. ''She wasn't killed by us. She was killed by raiders before we set up shop here. That's all there is to it. Sorry for the lack of an interesting story but it's not something we, as a class, like to speak about.'' He spoke quickly. A sign that fit all of his classmates in trials who attempted to hide their guilt. He couldn't press him. Shuichi was clearly either a good liar or was telling the truth in quite possibly the most suspicious way he could. ''Is that all you needed? I'm surprised you weren't asking about our methods.'' He pointed towards Gonta and Kirumi who were walking back with the body bag slung over the large boy's shoulder. ''I have trifles with it.'' Makoto admitted. ''But it seems to be working; you've kept all of these people safe. You should be very proud, Shuichi.'' The Sleuth adjusted his hat again. ''It means a lot to hear _you_ say that.'' Gonta and Kirumi walked between them and through the doors. ''If you'll excuse me, I need to find Kaede. You should know that having a girlfriend makes you doubly aware of what you're doing right or wrong.'' He gave Makoto a small wave and headed inside, leaving Makoto standing in the cold winter air. The sun was just dipping below the horizon. He basked in it for a few moments but didn't close his eyes. He knew he'd see something that'd ruin the moment if he did. A whir and the sound of carpet being brushed made him aware the doors were opening. ''Hey-Hey Big Mak!'' Ibuki jumped on him and gave him a noogie. ''We're setting sail uno momento, compadre!'' He wrestled her off and felt Hajime brush past him. He spun the car keys around his finger as he trotted down the flight of steps. ''Aoi!'' He called to her from the last step. ''We're going back!'' Aoi jogged over from the bench she was busy shivering on. Hajime unlocked the car and walked over to the trunk, throwing in a small plastic bag full of what sounded like glass bottles. Makoto and Aoi sat down and waited for the engine to roar into life. Aoi was evidently tired, as she passed out almost immediately after nestling into her seat. Her head slowly drooped and stopped on Makoto's right shoulder. There was no point waking her up, so he let her rest. Hajime pulled out of the spot next to the barricade and drove down the path.

It seemed as if they were driving considerably faster on the way back. Looking at Hajime's steely expression in the rear-view mirror showed he was concentrating far harder than he was during the drive to the hospital. Perhaps the mutated bugs were more violent or more active at night? He had no way of knowing and had no intention of distracting Hajime by asking, even if he was sure that his incredible talents wouldn't allow him to crash. They eventually pulled into the garage the car was kept and Makoto was now faced with an awkward choice. Due to her weight, his right arm was asleep. He had to either poke one of her breasts to wake her or stroke his face or hair. He chose the second. It would clearly have less consequences if she woke up angry. He ran his hand along her cheek slowly, but firm enough to wake her. He eyes fluttered open and she jumped back when she saw how close she was to him. ''S-Sorry! I swear I don't usually do that!'' Makoto laughed her off and despite the redness in her cheeks, Aoi appeared to be less embarrassed. Makoto and Hajime got out almost simultaneously, allowing Ibuki to turn around and wiggle her eyebrows suggestively at Hina without onlookers. ''Oh, shut up, you!'' Hina huffed as she hopped out the car. The walk back to the manhole entrance was strangely calming considering it was pitch black out now. He got the feeling Hajime didn't share that sentiment.

The recognisable moan of the cover being lifted off was musical to him. He and Aoi rushed down the ladder followed quickly by Ibuki. Hajime shut the hatch with a clang and jumped from the top of the ladder to the ground below. Chiaki was already walking over with Hiyoko in her arms. When Makoto finally reached the ground, Kyoko strolled over to him too. ''How was it?'' She linked hands with him. She pulled him towards one of the couches. ''It was probably the nicest, cleanest place I've seen outside of this shelter. But that's most likely because it's run by Ultimates.'' Kyoko sat down and he followed suit. ''Peko and Fuyuhiko explained. Any particularly impressive talents?'' Makoto fumbled around the start of a sentence. ''Well… I met another Ultimate Detective.'' He fought off the urge to laugh. He had never seen her eyebrows raise that high. He felt his face warm up. Why was he feeling so awkward? It's not as if he gave Shuichi that title. ''Strange. It seems impractical to have two students with the same title, especially if they'd be at the school in the same timeframe.'' Kyoko held a thumb and forefinger to her chin. She lowered her hand and opened her notepad. She scribbled down a few lines and her head sprung up to meet his soft green pupils. ''Anything else important about them?'' Now it was his turn to place a hand on his chin. ''They have two dead classmates.'' Kyoko wrote that down. ''Cause of death?'' She didn't look up. ''One was killed by raiders supposedly. I have difficulty believing that. Shuichi seemed like he was lying when he explained.'' Kyoko scrawled that fact down. ''Who's Shuichi?'' Makoto realised he hadn't told her any names. ''He's the other Ultimate Detective.'' Kyoko grumbled under her breath as she noted that. She was clearly not happy with a fellow detective lying. ''What's the C.O.D for the other?'' He hesitated. ''Decapitation.'' Kyoko's pencil stopped abruptly. ''Do you know who did this?'' Kyoko squinted in scepticism. ''The 79th class. The Ultimate Assassin to be precise.'' Makoto spoke with little emotion. His girlfriend breathed in deeply. ''Can you name this victims?'' The matter-of-fact voice had faded somewhat. ''Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader. He was the one who was decapitated.'' The lavender-locked girl hummed to let him know to continue. ''I don't know the last name of the other. I know her first name was Tsumugi.'' A loud gasp met the young couple's ears.

''Did you just mention my apprentice?!'' Junko screeched as she ran over to them. ''The one from the class below us?'' Makoto asked. ''Was she the Ultimate Cosplayer? Did she have long blue hair, glasses and a plain face? That Tsumugi Shirogane?'' Makoto reeled back in discomfort. She must've listed them like that deliberately. At least he knew the girl's last name now. ''Yeah…'' Junko gave them the most disturbing grin. ''You were told she got killed by raiders, huh?'' Both The Luckster and The Detective stayed mute. ''I'd guess that it was actually her own class that killed her.'' She covered one side of her face with a hand to direct the sound to them. Kyoko opened her mouth but was interrupted by the Fashionista. ''After all, she was my spy in that class. They must've found it somehow. Or she told them. I don't really care. She's dead.'' ''Why would anyone become your apprentice?'' Makoto looked to be more standoffish to onlookers as he asked that. ''That's an easy one, Makoto. DESPAIR. Duh. Everybody succumbs in the end. Though if it were up to me, I'd leave the 's', the 'u', the first 'c' and the 'b' out of that word.'' She snorted with laughter as she watched he and Kyoko work out the joke. Kyoko glazed over it. ''And how did you break Tsumugi? You would've had a handful of months at most.'' The Ultimate Despair cackled at Kyoko's naivety. ''I've been the Ultimate Fashionista for years. Tsumugi was the Ultimate Cosplayer for years. We bumped into each other a lot when I was modelling and she was designing. She grew quite fond of me. To the extent where she was slightly, okay-very, obsessed with me. When my stupid, flat-chested sister wasn't around I'd have her run errands for me. They just got slightly more…'' Junko slapped her cheek as she mulled it over. ''Complex.'' She finally sat down on the couch, crossing her legs and bouncing her foot. ''As in, become a spy and try to severely hurt your classes chances of survival within a fallout shelter during the apocalypse, complex.''

''You really had her try to kill her own class?'' Makoto said. He was now aware of everybody else in the room. While most were attempting to make their eavesdropping less obvious by having quiet conversation, Hajime and Fuyuhiko sat together on the stools at the bar and stared into his soul. Their faces practically instructed him to interrogate her. Junko's monotone reply pulled him back into his conversation. ''It's pretty boring to just survive with no problems, don't you think?'' Her sea blue eyes were clouding over. She really meant that, didn't she? ''Maybe spicing it up was a good thing for them. Keeping them on their toes, ya know?'' He had no idea why she chose to speak in a southern drawl but he could assume it meant she was getting bored. ''How long did you have her do things for you that were for despair?'' Kyoko flipped open her notepad again. ''Since she started Hope's Peak. Easier to speak with her.'' Junko placed her hands behind her head, leant back and closed her eyes. ''The only thing I ever instructed her to do around her class was 'spread despair.' I never told her to kill or destroy things. Looks like she failed anyway.'' Despite her eyes being closed, she still scowled. She then shot up onto her feet and stuck her palm on Makoto's head ruffling his hair. ''I'm bored. I'll tell you the rest later.'' She walked to the kitchen and starting preparing something. Makoto looked at the clock and sighed. He turned around in his seat and met Aoi's gaze. She smiled when he looked at her but it was fading and forced. He told Kyoko that they'd speak later and hurried over to the tanned girl. ''Do you want to have that talk now, Hina?'' She beamed and pointed to her room. He followed her inside and the door closed with a fast slam.

''So, what's both-'' Her head slammed into his chest with some force, enough force to nearly knock him over. Aoi placed her hands on his chest and sobbed. He always struggled not to tear up when others were but he had to be the stronger party right now. He didn't wrap his arms around her, he simply let her get it all out. Her forehead was against his pecs and her shoulders were hunched and shaking. He was glad he had grown in the last few weeks, otherwise she likely would've broken his nose with her impromptu headbutt. Her sobs and sniffles eventually died down enough to let her speak, though her voice was expectantly wobbly and phlegmy. ''How do you do it, Makoto?'' Her tone showed signs of anger. Makoto believed the question was rhetorical and stayed silent. So Aoi asked again. ''How does this not affect you?'' She slammed a hand into his chest and he flinched at her deceiving strength. ''Why do you think it doesn't?'' Aoi looked up at him but he doubted she saw much through her tear-clouded vision. Her lips trembled and she pressed her head against his chest again. ''I miss Yuta and my mom and my dad and… I just wish that all this had never happened.'' Her voice was muffled by his clothes but she was intelligible. ''I miss my family too, Hina. Every day.'' He finally caved and stroked the back of her head, rubbing down repeatedly in a soothing motion. This was more for him than for her. Talking about this made him upset too. Hina mumbled sentence starters into his torso before looking up again. ''Then how do you deal with that? This sad… sad stuff?'' Aoi, this time, kept her neck craned up to see him speak. ''I have hope, Hina. I have hope that one day, we'll be walking around or visiting someone or something and we'll bump into them. I know it's far-fetched but-'' He was attempting to avoid looking at her but when he fell silent he couldn't help but see if she was following. She looked terrified. Alone. ''Hina, one day we'll see them again. I promise you. It may not be soon but I promise.'' Hina relinquished the iron grip she had on his shirt with one hand and wiped at her eyes with her jacket sleeves. She smiled up at him and he returned the action. ''Just have hope, Hina. It got us out the Academy. It got us through that long journey here. Trust in hope and most importantly-'' He stopped stroking her hair and placed that previously occupied hand on her shoulder. ''Trust in me.'' Her mouth fell open and her pupils dilated slightly. ''If you cant go to anyone else about this kind of stuff, come to me. I'll make you feel better. Even if it means going on a big donut binge.'' He flashed her a smile as he said that last remark and Aoi laughed genuinely for the first time in a while. ''As long as I get the jelly-filled.'' She got out between giggles. She wrapped him in a bear-hug that crushed his ribs and made his arms go numb. But he appreciated it. It meant something personal to her. When she let go and took a step back, he gave her a cheeky grin. ''Why don't we sleep together tonight?''

 _What._ Did he really just ask that? She floundered for a second but tightened her fists and breathed in deeply. ''Okay.'' She felt her cheeks redden but she couldn't deny this was quite a happy moment. Kyoko wouldn't mind her having him for one night, right? She walked around the left bed and faced the wall. She tugged off her jacket and dropped it on the floor. She gripped the bottom of her vest and played with the idea of just ripping it off, then and there and showing him the goods. She slowly peeled it off when she heard: ''Great! I'll get Kyoko, you push these two beds together and we'll meet you in here in five, okay?'' She turned to face him when she heard the door open and just about managed to watch him leave. So that's what he meant. Now that she thought about it, there was no way Makoto could proposition someone like that. He was far too innocent. But that's what she liked about him…

Makoto's heart was racing as he stepped outside and walked at a snail's pace towards the kitchen. He'd just propositioned Hina. And he was pretty sure he meant to, even if it was in the heat of the moment. He hadn't meant to turn it into a sleepover type affair but that's what it had become. He took a glass and filled it all the way with ice-cold water. He took small sips as if it would make the glass lose less water. He let his heart fall back into it's normal rhythm and approached Kyoko. ''You up for a little sleepover in Hina's room?'' He asked nonchalantly. ''She's quite shook up right now.'' Kyoko laughed lightly. ''I could tell. The tear and snot stains on your shirt tell quite the story.'' She kept that same snarky smirk on her face throughout the interaction. ''Speaking of which, you aren't wearing your jacket. Did you leave it at the hospital?'' He actually smacked his own forehead at the realisation. He _had_ left it there, in Shuichi's office. He nodded, accepting his fate to her playful jabs. ''Well that's fine. We'll just go get it tomorrow. I'm sure someone here will drive us.'' That was unexpected. No joke. ''Shall we go get our pyjamas then?'' She tilted her head as she asked and he gave her a thumbs up. He extended his hand and pulled her up to her feet. They slinked it their room and exited a moment later with their night clothes bundled under their arms. They knocked on Aoi's door and waited for her reply.

''Come in, guys!'' She yelled from within and the couple entered. Aoi sat on the end of the newly-formed double bed in a vest and a pair of white panties. ''Are those your night clothes?'' Kyoko asked with an air of suspicion. Aoi laughed awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head. ''I can find something to wear if it's a problem.'' Aoi said shakily as she held up her hands. ''It's fine. I'll just make sure to sleep in the middle.'' Kyoko turned to give Makoto a knowing look. He rolled his eyes before twisting the doorknob. ''I'll get changed in the bathroom.'' He left the two friends alone. ''You like him, don't you Hina?'' The Swimmer placed her head in her hands. ''Mmhm.'' She squeaked out. ''That's fine. You can act on it to an extent. You're not Junko so it's acceptable.'' Aoi gave her Detective friend a small smile. It was all the thanks Kyoko required, especially on an issue so pressing to her closest pal. The door clicked and Kyoko quickly assumed the seemingly natural position of sitting at the end of the bed with her fingers laced together. Makoto poked his head around the door. ''Ready?'' He walked around the right-hand side of the bed and pulled the blanket back. Aoi did the same around the left side and Kyoko pushed herself up the bed in the centre, shuffling on her butt until she could reach the pillow when she leaned her head back.

It had been 10 minutes. The three laid on their backs for all of that time, none of them attempting to start a conversation for fear of waking someone else up. Hina began shaking her crossed legs, scraping Kyoko's calf with her cold feet. The pale girl shuddered and jolted slightly. ''Sorry.'' Aoi whispered. ''You don't have to whisper. I'm awake.'' Makoto rolled on his side so he could look across the bed to see the pair of them. ''So, what do you wanna talk about?'' Hina stared straight up at the ceiling. ''Movies and TV shows?'' Makoto offered dryly. ''What's your favourite genre?'' He followed up. ''Definitely action but, like, explodey, big buff guy action.'' Aoi mimed a punch and firing a gun into the air. ''What's yours Makoto?'' She rolled onto her side to face them too. ''Probably superhero movies but I'm kind of indifferent to most movies. What about you, Kyoko?'' ''Ooh, it's gotta be mystery movies!'' Aoi reached out a hand and swatted around Kyoko playfully. ''I actually really dislike movies like that. The twist is usually predictable and the killer is obvious.'' ''Oh.'' Aoi looked embarrassed but was reassured when Kyoko gripped her had above the covers. ''I quite enjoy action, too. As well as superhero movies. There are several examples where the two are combined. We should watch one soon.'' They all spun onto their backs and lay in content silence. ''Okay! New Topic!'' Aoi decreed with high enthusiasm. This could go on for a while.

Makoto and Kyoko woke up with a substantial weight on them. When Makoto opened his eyes, they almost burst out of his skull. They were right in his face! Aoi was laying on her back across the two of them, the back of her head on his chest and her torso and legs stretching out past him and over Kyoko. Kyoko was curled up into him but was still pressed down by Aoi's lower abdomen. How had any of them slept like this? He tried to lift his right arm but found it trapped. He wiggled his head enough to look down at his appendage. Oh no. Trapped, tightly at that, between Aoi's ass and Kyoko's crotch. He have to touch both if he wanted to get it out. Would they react poorly? He chanced it and quickly wrenched it from the 'flesh sandwich.' Kyoko moaned delicately in her sleep and in his ear and Hina mumbled something sultry under her breath. Little Makoto couldn't have chosen a worse moment to rise up, hitting Aoi's forearm that lay across his upper thighs. He had to stop any potential beatings for perversion so he decided to sit up abruptly and pretend he was having a nightmare. And he did. Unfortunately he launched Aoi off of him and she landed perfectly to wedge his little buddy between her breasts. She was wide awake now (as was little Makoto) and felt the warm, foreign presence on her chest. Kyoko stirred and propped herself up on her elbows. Upon seeing the other two, specifically their faces, she could guess their position despite both of them being clothed. Aoi noticed Kyoko and shot backwards, apologising profusely for the way she slept and talking too much in the night. Both Makoto and Kyoko waived her off; that wasn't really the issue here. However, there was no point starting an argument or making her feel bad. The two quietly left her to get changed and had a shower, where they could vent their 'frustrations.'

''Hey Hajime. Are you free to drive me to the hospital today? I left my jacket, with all of our Hope's Peak photos from the last trial in the pocket, in Shuichi's office.'' Makoto tried not to blush due to the embarrassment of admitting he'd been so careless. ''Ahh, sorry pal. I've got to tend our little farm today. Fuyuhiko can drive you though.'' He called over the short blond, who put down his pool cue and walked over. ''Can you drive Makoto up to the hospital? He left some stuff there.'' Fuyuhiko grimaced. His one eye both of The Luckster's. ''You fuckin' dumbass. Fancy doin' that, huh?'' He played with the silver ring on his middle finger. He looked back at Peko, who nodded and put both of their cues away. ''Fuckin' whatever. You best grab it quick. I'm not exactly fond of some of the people at that damn hospital. Any place with a shrink or a doctor pisses me off just lookin' at it.'' Hajime handed him the keys and The Gangster started for the ladder. Peko politely urged Makoto to follow, which he did. Fuyuhiko started the ascent, recklessly spinning the keys around one finger as he did. He opened the hatch and waited for Makoto to finish the climb before speed walking in the direction of the garage. Makoto looked down the ladder. Even with the difficulty of climbing a ladder with one arm, Peko did so gracefully and at a rapid pace. She reached the top, refused Makoto's help in lifting her out and slammed the metal cover down. ''Please follow my master.'' He nodded but refused to completely run off without her. Her baby bump was becoming all the more noticeable now and it felt like his obligation to protect her, even if she was fully capable of handling herself. They reached the garage to find Fuyuhiko waiting in the driver's seat with the engine started. When Makoto went to sit in the middle seats, Fuyuhiko slammed the side of the car's chassis to stop him. ''Ride shotgun. Peko's got more legroom in the middle row so she doesn't cramp up. Come on.'' He reached across the car and opened the passenger seat door. Makoto circled and got in, fastening his seatbelt in fear of The Yakuza's probably dangerous driving. Peko clambered into the back, choosing the centre seat of the middle row and stretching her legs. Fuyuhiko was right: there was a lot more room. The short boy gulped before he put his foot on the gas. He was nervous. Strange for such a calm and calculating man. ''Been a good while since I was last behind the wheel. Usually had a fuckin' chauffeur or some other shmuck to take us around.'' Peko placed her hand on his shoulder and and he covered it with his own. He took a deep breath and stepped on the pedal. The car slowly kicked into gear and after a few seconds they were moving at a decent speed. Fuyuhiko obviously regained his muscle memory and became far more confident in his turns and drifts as they finally broke out of the city and onto the long country road.

The drive was just as peaceful as it was the day prior. He asked Fuyuhiko for permission to open the window. The response was a curt: ''Of course you can, dipshit.'' There were about as many weird bugs and monstrosities as there were before too but this time they strayed away from the speeding vehicle. It was a shorter drive to the hospital and he felt a strange sense of pressure to do as Fuyuhiko had requested. The Gangster parked closer to the hospital than the Ultimate Ultimate had, allowing a shorter dash in than previously. ''Be quick, will ya? Unless you see Miu, then tell her I said hi.'' Makoto raised a brow but flung the door open and sped inside.

Kirumi was once again on the first floor but was preoccupied cleaning rather than instructing residents. He noticed that she looked more determined than yesterday. Kokichi's words, perhaps? He waved at her as he jogged by, an action she chose to simply smile at than reciprocate. He ran up and turned the stairs. He was instantly drawn to a familiar haircut. A brown bob with a long antenna at the top. It couldn't be. He sprinted after the girl. The jacket could wait. If this was who he thought it was, this could be a huge discovery for him. He turned a corner and watched the girl waltz into a brightly decorated room. He ran to the door frame and peered in. Five kids were sitting cross legged on the floor, staring up at him in confusion. But he wasn't looking for kids. ''Makoto?'' A soft voice called out. He looked over the girl. A sailor-style uniform. Slightly tanned skin. Those dazzling, green eyes he shared with her. And the trademark ahoge sitting atop her head. Tears welled up in his eyes. ''K-Komaru?''

 **And that's all she wrote! Just over 6k words and I'm really happy with how this one turned out! It's probably the first chapter of this story I've been happy with. I suppose some of you who've been reading since I first put this out (God bless you) are wondering about the name change and why I changed it. It's quite simple really. I just think it stands out slightly more.**

 **Some of you may also be hesitant about Aoi and Makoto and their dynamic in this story. Don't worry; unless a lot of people specifically say they want it to replace the main Naegiri ship, we're sticking with Class 78 best girl Kyoko. I just think that considering the guys in the shelter not being her type and her friendship with Makoto, it would make sense for her to like him.**

 **Lastly, I'd like to thank everyone who followed and favourited this story so far. After months of being scared no one was enjoying this, the people who left lovely reviews and showed their support really touched me. Thank you so much. Goodbye! See you in the next one!**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN- Heyo! New chapter time!**

He felt numb but it was more from a rush of positive stimuli than from a lack of emotion. His sister was alive. And she was standing right in front of him. He felt light-headed and had to lean on the doorframe to remain on his feet. Komaru ran to him and threw her arms around him. They were both crying hard and were gripping each other's clothes tightly, as if they would fade out of existence. They both slipped down to their knees and remained in joyous reunion for a few seconds. ''W-Why are you here?'' Makoto pulled away to get a good look at her. ''I… I work here. I'm a teacher.'' She smiled brightly, the tears trailing into the wrinkles the smile made. He didn't speak, he just took a moment to look at her and analyse her features. ''You've grown up so much…'' His sibling giggled and returned the comment. ''And you've gotten a lot taller, Makoto.'' He stood up and offered her a hand. She took it and was wrenched up to her feet. She turned to her small class. ''You guys can just keep working on your Talent projects like we were yesterday. I need to step out for a few minutes. Call Maki or Kirumi if you need help with something, okay?'' She shut the door slowly. ''Can you call Angie for your art, Jataro?'' One of the kids said just before the door closed fully. ''Follow me.'' Komaru was still sniffling and wiping her eyes as she walked down the corridor.

The jacket and Fuyuhiko could wait. This was the biggest moment of his life since leaving the Academy behind. He hadn't seen his little sister in years. Or that's what his erased memories wanted him to believe. Komaru led him into a garden directly in the middle of the hospital grounds. An enormous sakura tree was in the centre of a large rectangular patch of grass. The hospital's wards and departments surrounded this garden but never covered the area above it, leaving the clear blue sky in plain sight if you were to look up. There was a large amount of people in this garden, most people simply choosing to enjoy the pleasant weather and sit on the grass under the tree. Komaru took her brother by the hand and dragged him to an empty bench. The two took a seat and Komaru breathed in deeply. ''I really missed you, big bro. Especially after being alone for so long.'' Makoto cocked a brow. ''What do you mean? Where were you all this time?'' ''When everyone started to go crazy, some people broke into our house and took me from Mom and Dad. I got knocked out and when I woke up, I was in an apartment.'' Komaru rubbed circled into the palm of her hand. ''The apartment was roomy but I was locked in, food was delivered to me every day and I couldn't look out the windows or access the outside world. But I could watch The Killing School Life.'' She smiled at him. ''You were so cool, Makoto.'' He reacted sheepishly, not really accepting the compliment but glossing over his experiences in the Academy. ''Anyway, when you beat Junko Enoshima, the doors were unlocked and I was let out. It was then that I found out that we weren't really in an apartment block. We were underground in a movie set kind of thing. We were in a bunker made to simulate living in an apartment.'' Makoto was struggling to take this all in. What purpose did keeping his sister alive serve? It had to be some backup plan Junko had if she had chosen to die after the final trial. Then he thought closely about what his sister had said. ''We?'' Komaru jumped slightly. ''Oh! I forgot to say! Aoi Asahina's brother was in the same bunker but in another mock apartment across the hall. Yuta.''

Makoto was even more overjoyed. Just imagining the look on Hina's face when he tells her the good news warmed him inside. ''Is he here too?'' Komaru nodded. ''He's my class's PE teacher. He should be around here somewhere.'' Komaru gripped his knee. ''Where have _you_ been?'' Her face was stern but she was probably concerned for his safety. ''I've been with everyone else from the Academy, don't worry. We've actually been staying with our upperclassmen from Hope's Peak who picked us up after we left.'' Komaru relinquished her grip on his leg and drew her hand away. ''Good, I'm glad that you didn't just wander in from nowhere.'' She glanced up at a big clock in the garden's courtyard. 'I.. I need to go teach.'' She was visibly and audibly disappointed. ''I can try to get Shuichi and the rest of his class to host a little welcoming party tomorrow so you can bring your friends up and we can all get to know each other.'' She spoke quickly but not without fumbling over her pronunciation. He grinned. ''Well then I'll try to get everyone on board on my end. We need to speak more. I've missed you too, Komaru.'' She stood up and Makoto assumed he needed to too. She hugged him again. ''Come and see us tomorrow then, big bro.'' She reached up and pinched his cheek hard. ''What's that for?'' He asked as he rubbed his sore cheek. ''Just to make sure you don't forget, stupid.'' He waved to her as she walked away. He turned around with the intention of retracing his steps up to Shuichi's office. When he did Fuyuhiko and Peko were standing and neither The Gangster nor The Swordswoman looked particularly happy with him. ''What the fuck are you doing? I said be quick and you're flirting with some random girl?!'' He was close to screaming. ''That was my sister; I haven't see her in years. I needed to speak to her. I'm sorry.'' Fuyuhiko's face mellowed. He had a sister too but she'd been murdered by someone Mahiru was friends with. ''Oh, well… Just come and fucking tell me next time, sheesh.'' He faced away from him. ''Sorry.'' He thrust his hands into his pockets and walked away. Peko took a final glance at Makoto who looked at the floor, downtrodden. ''Makoto.'' She spoke softly as she often did. He risked meeting her blood red eyes. She smiled knowingly at him. ''Be quick.'' She pointed up in the general direction of the office and followed after Fuyuhiko. He nodded if only to spur himself to move his feet. He collected his jacket and ran back to Fuyuhiko and Peko who leant on the car's hood. ''Done everything you needed to do, pal?'' He spun the keys in his fingers again. ''Yeah, though hopefully everybody's coming back here tomorrow. We're gonna have a party.'' Fuyuhiko's face had warped from disgruntlement to intrigue halfway through Makoto's sentence. He nodded a few times while he though about it and looked to Peko, who looked back at him with a neutral expression. ''Shit sounds pretty good. You better make sure this party's worth my damn time.'' He unlocked the car and told Peko to go and get comfortable. Makoto hopped in the passenger side again and stared up at the hospital as his driver put the keys in the ignition and started moving away from the massive structure. He couldn't help but smile. Tomorrow would be a blast.

The journey back was eerily quiet, even when travelling through the countryside. There were no bugs or any wildlife at all in sight. He did see normal sized insects and mammals like rabbits but he had no reason to be scared of them. ''What the fuck is that?'' An almost static like blur was on the road ahead. As the car drew closer Fuyuhiko sputtered and called nervously for Peko to draw her sword. She did and sat forward in her seat. Makoto squeezed his eyes to focus them as much as he could. That static blur became more and more clear as they approached. Mosquitoes and all of those horrific bug things. Just hovering over the road looking in the direction of the car. ''You'd better get ready for a rough fuckin' ride, kid.'' Fuyuhiko glanced at Makoto several times as he stepped down on the gas. The car sped towards the crowd of grotesque creatures like a bullet. The car moved right through the pack, splattering several against the windshield and several more impacted with the sides of the car. They passed through and were glad to see the rest of the road didn't share the same affliction as that previous portion did.. Peko looked through the rear window and saw a hoard of the insects chasing them. ''Young Master!'' She shouted to him. ''I know, I know!'' He couldn't increase their speed anymore than it was and they were reaching their turning. Fuyuhiko's brow was glimmering with sweat and he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. The turn was executed perfectly. The car maintained it's speed and forced the pursuing bugs to split and lower their numbers. ''Young Master, stop the car.'' ''WHAT?!'' The Gangster was tempted to turn around in his seat to face her but chose, wisely, to keep his eyes glued on the road ahead. ''I will not fail you, Fuyuhiko. I promise.'' She adjusted her glasses and positioned herself to leap out the doors. ''You could die!'' He yelled. ''Their numbers are slimmer now.'' She argued. ''What about our baby?!'' He looked at her briefly in the rear-view mirror. ''I will _never_ let anything happed to our baby.'' She furrowed her brows and gripped the katana's handle tighter. Fuyuhiko flicked his eyes to her. Then the crowd. Then Makoto. ''AAH!'' He conceded, slowing the car to a halt. Peko threw the doors open and jumped out. The crowd of monstrous bugs rushed towards her. She steadied her blade and composed herself. Her foot bounced in preparation for her first swing and she blew a stray strand of her out of her vision. And swung.

The first bug exploded into blood and several chunks. She had clearly planned her targets and how she would kill them in her head mere moments before striking. She followed a rhythmic pattern as she moved from foe to foe. Makoto watched as she tore her way through the seemingly never ending swarm. She would eventually be overwhelmed. He couldn't let that happen. They couldn't lose their baby to something so vile. He looked down to his feet. The baseball bat Ibuki had used yesterday lay at them. He reached down and gripped the handle. He took a deep breath. Then another. He tended to his jacket's drawstrings and placed a hand on the door. Fuyuhiko was too distracted watching Peko to notice these small movements. Makoto opened the door and sprinted towards Peko, stumbling slightly at the beginning of the run to her. The Swordswoman noticed him and, whilst she did seem surprised judging by her eyes, she still kept her composure and continued the mass slaughter. Quite a few of the wasps and mosquitoes flew at him when they noticed him alone in the street. Many split off from the main pack attacking Peko and made way for him. He steeled himself and began swinging erratically, downing several bugs and driving more away from him. Two sped towards him at one time and he felt one gash the back of his calf. He fell to one knee but kept swinging, even if they had far less power and reach. Suddenly, a gunshot was heard from behind him. A wasp exploded to his left. Fuyuhiko slammed the car door shut and began firing his revolver into the air around Makoto killing a handful of the bugs. ''You okay, Makoto!?'' He yelled from his cover behind the car. ''Yeah!'' Makoto stood and walked with a limp towards Peko, swatting anything stupid or daring enough to come his way. Peko had more or less dealt with all of her adversaries and finished off the last one before running to Makoto. The two melee duellers stood back to back; this not only provided support for Makoto to keep standing but allowed both to attack the front without worrying about their backside. Between their combined efforts and Fuyuhiko's cover fire, they whittled the swarm down to just a handful of bugs. These animals clearly knew they were outmatched and fled back in the direction of the countryside. Peko sheathed her sword and leant over, panting. Makoto collapsed onto his rear, clutching his leg. Now that the adrenaline rush had subsided, the pain was monumental. ''That was intense.'' He said wearily as he looked up to Peko. ''Yes, it was indeed.'' She offered him her only arm. He took it gratefully and hobbled up to his feet. ''You guys good? Nothing too fuckin' bad happen?'' Makoto shook his head, ignoring the pain in his leg. ''Right then. We'll get home, treat your leg, wash your clothes and then shower. Sounds like a goddamn plan.'' He took the bat from Makoto and told him to get in. He briefly embraced Peko, kissing her passionately for a good 3 seconds. ''I should've trusted you.'' He grimaced as he admitted it. She cupped his cheek. ''I understand. You were worried for me. Worry was the main reason I wanted to do this in the first place.'' He took her hand and led her to the people carrier. ''Rest up.'' He told her as he slid the door across. The journey back had little for Makoto to focus on except the pain in his calf.

The ladder was an obstacle he forgot he'd come across. While Hajime waited below him with open arms in case he fell, he was still not entirely confident in that plan. He eventually reached the bottom and Hajime sat him on one of the couches. Kyoko rushed to his side, hugging his arm and smothering his cheek with kisses. Hajime lifted his leg into the air and cleaned the wound. He wrapped it in gauze and asked him to test his footing. He still hissed when he put pressure on it but Hajime assured he would heal in hours due to his special formula. ''By the way, I received a message from Shuichi.'' He was speaking to everyone in the shelter. Luckily, the residents seemed interested enough in Makoto's injury to crowd around and watch his treatment. ''We're all going up to the hospital tomorrow. Even Byakuya. His treatment's been coming along nicely.'' Toko didn't dispute that so it was safe to say Hajime was telling the truth. ''Is Gundham coming?'' Mahiru asked. ''If he wants to.'' Hajime shrugged at her. ''Depends on him.'' The redhead seemed content with that. It was not as if she'd disagree with Hajime regardless. ''Everyone okay with that? We'll be leaving about 11.'' Nobody said anything. Hajime bobbed his head. ''Well okay then. I'll go and tell Byakuya.'' He patted Makoto's shoulder as he passed him. Whether it was meant as a thanks or as an apology he had no idea. He had rushed back to the shelter when Peko went to the farm to find him during his long, hobbled walk to the shelter's entrance. So it could be interpreted either way. The group set about their own business, leaving Kyoko still hanging off Makoto's arm. ''I could kill you right now.'' She glared at him. He turned his head to her. She placed a finger over his lips. ''I know you did it for Peko but I'm still mad that you put yourself in danger like that.'' He was expecting a harsh comment but she snuggled into him further. ''I'd ask you not to do it again but I know you. You'd give your life for someone if you believed it was for the greater good. That's why _I love you.''_ He blushed deeply. She too had rosy cheeks but her expression displayed genuine emotion. She pressed her lips to his and he pushed himself back into the kiss. She pulled away, a string of saliva still tethering the together. Makoto wiped his mouth. Then he smiled widely as he remembered what had already transpired today.

''Hina!'' He shouted very loud. Kyoko was worried for a moment. She believed he was trying something funny with her and Hina. The sporty girl jogged over from her room. ''You might want to sit down. You're going to be really surprised.'' Hina sat down, confused. Makoto grabbed both of her hands. The Swimmer's shoulders hiked as a shiver travelled down her spine. She composed herself before facing him straight on. ''Yuta is alive. He's a teacher at the hospital. Isn't that great?'' Hina was wide-eyed with a blank expression for a handful of seconds. Then tears of joy erupted out of her eyes and she pulled both Makoto and Kyoko into a hug. ''Oh my god… Thank you so much…'' She spoke barely above a whisper. All three of them were smiling warmly from the confines of their embrace. ''My sister's alive too. She's friends with your brother.'' His mouth was right next to Hina's ear. She backed away from the two of them. ''That's so nice. Does he know that we're going to see him tomorrow?'' Makoto nodded but was unsure. Komaru must've told him. She couldn't keep a secret at all. Hina's overjoyed crying had gained the attention of the majority of the others. Chiaki walked over to the three. ''Do you need some tissues, Aoi?'' She held out a pack and Aoi took a single tissue. She blew her nose, wiped her eyes with the untainted parts of the paper cloth and beamed at The Gamer. The sleepy girl smiled back. ''Family always makes you happier, doesn't it?'' Aoi nodded like a madman.

Makoto stood up and straightened out his back. He walked over to the kitchen where Hajime was washing dishes. He'd clearly told Byakuya already. The Luckster reached into a box of donuts he and Aoi had gotten out the freezer a few days ago. ''Hey, Hajime?'' The tall boy turned his head so hard he swore it would fly off his shoulders. ''You knew that my sister was at the hospital, didn't you?'' Hajime smiled. ''There's a reason I didn't tell you about your jacket.'' He turned back to the bowl of warm water. ''I wanted you to make that discovery on your own. It would be more special to you that way.'' Makoto sighed. ''With your predictive talents, I'm not surprised that it worked out like you wanted.'' He left him at the sink and moved back to the couch. He had a donut in each hand and gave one to Aoi. She and Chiaki were still conversing but she absent-mindedly shoved the treat in her mouth. Chiaki handed him and Aoi N64 controllers and sat on the other couch. Then the intense Super Smash Bros. battle begun. People began coming over and joining or watching over one by one. Pretty soon, everybody was crowded around or sitting on the couches, just enjoying the others' company. Byakuya had leant on Toko and Yasuhiro and walked on his own two feet into the room, earning a small round of applause from those playing. His pride didn't let him accept their applause but he appreciated the gesture as he took a seat at the end of the couch. Even Junko watched from the kitchen table, a content smile plastered on her face. For the first time since they'd all been together, there was no arguments and no depressing thoughts to pull them out of the moment.

After a good two or three hours, the audience began trickling out and into their rooms. Five people remained on the furniture. Chiaki jumped up when the game had finished and turned off the console, revelling in yet another victory. She took Hajime by the hand and ripped him off the couch. ''Be up about 10 if you want the bathroom before Ibuki.'' Hajime chuckled as he and Chiaki walked to their room with linked arms. ''Good night, everyone. Sleep well.'' Chiaki spoke so sweetly that Hina thought that between that and the donuts she'd develop diabetes. ''Good night!'' All 3 left seemed to say simultaneously. Kyoko stretched and gave Hina a quick glance. ''I'll go make the bed, Makoto.'' She skulked off into their room. Makoto still had the controller in his hand, rubbing circles into the handle as he stared into space. ''Hey, Makoto?'' Hina draped an arm across his chest and he instinctively turned to her. ''Thank you. For these last few days. Actually, for just being my friend. You've given me true hope, Makoto. Hope that keeps me going.'' She breathed in and out rapidly as her eyes fell to his chest. Then suddenly, she kissed him. On the lips. It was short-lived but chocked full of passion. She pulled away as quickly as she'd pushed in and jumped up. ''Thanks.'' She ran to her room. When the door closed. He looked along the row of bedroom doors. Ibuki and Mahiru both stood in the doorway to her room. Ibuki noticed he was looking at them and stuck out her tongue. Mahiru made eye contact but seemed to be too busy letting the cogs turn in her head to care. He didn't really have time to process it himself. He needed to process a statement for Kyoko first. He leant around the door, her lavender orbs cutting a swathe through his thoughts. ''I already know. She told me she wanted to at least once.'' She moved up the bed, intentionally letting her nightdress ride over her hips as she laid with spread legs. He swallowed a lump in his throat. She had never been this forward. ''Prove to me that you still feel the same way for me.''

 **LEMON WARNING- IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH LEMON PLEASE SKIP TO THE NEXT BOLD TEXT SECTION**

She spoke with a hint of sarcasm but he wasn't going to let it stop him proving himself. He tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it to the ground. He reached behind him and pushed the door shut, locking it to ensure privacy. He unbuckled his belt and shimmied his jeans to the floor. He tripped as he tried to hop out of them, falling face first onto the bed. He looked up at Kyoko. She was looking off to the side, clearly struggling to maintain her laughter. He laughed at himself and she finally let out a few soft wheezes of amusement. He pulled off his boxers and sat on his knees in front of her on the bed. He reached over to the nightstand on his side of the bed and opened the drawer. He pulled out a single condom and tore open the wrapper. He then got himself 'ready'. He wasn't absolutely enormous down there but he was certainly sizable for someone his age. He stuck two fingers inside her and felt her squirm around the digits. He slipped it over his shaft and rubbed himself against her pussy. She was already quite wet. She'd probably spent some time 'practising' while he was with Aoi. Now he felt bad. Kyoko shuddered but didn't hesitate or ask for prep time. He'd done this with her enough times to know that meant he could enter.

He pushed himself inside, her warmth surrounding his member. Kyoko propped herself up onto her elbows and stared at him. Her eyes were slanted and oozed seduction from the very moment they met his own. He slowly began moving; in and out motions to begin and when he knew that she was about halfway to climax, he'd start moving as randomly and as hard as possible. She threw her head back on the pillow and let him move them both. He began increasing his speed, earning a few yelps and small cries of pleasure. She pinched and played with her breasts through the fabric of her nightgown. She abandoned that idea and tugged the top down to reveal them to Makoto. He quickly dipped down and bit one of her nipples, the odd mixture of pain and joy earning a squeaky moan and her eyes rolling back.

He was starting to breathe heavily now, just to compose himself as to avoid busting early. She gripped the blanket with her left hand, the tell-tale sign she was over halfway to orgasm. He pushed a hand down to her labia lips and spread them wide. She moaned and bit her lip. He began massaging her clitoris as he fastened his pace even more. ''M-Makoto…'' She looked at him again, her cheeks the reddest he'd seen since their first time making love. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her level. His hand was still stimulating her clit but it was practically sandwiched between the two of them. He felt her legs wrap around his back as well. How uncomfortable for him arm. This lack of comfort was eased slightly by her kissing him passionately until her mouth fell open. She began screaming with pleasure as he felt warm liquid spray against his crotch and abdomen. Her arms and legs relinquished their grip enough for him to sit up and continue through to his own finish. Which didn't take long. A few seconds later he unloaded inside the condom and ducked down to lock lips with her a second time. He counted to 10 and pulled out. He turned and sat on the end of the bed to peel the condom off and throw in in the garbage.

 **END OF LEMON**

''You were a different person back there.'' He said as his breathing slowly returned to normal. ''This felt like the be all, end all. I just want to keep you.'' She was sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest now. ''Are you scared of me picking Aoi over you?'' He pulled back the covers and got into bed. He scooted over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. ''I will never leave you. _I love you._ Don't ever forget that.'' She had watery eyes but blinked away the moisture and pushed him down onto his back. He placed his arms behind his head and she rolled over onto her side to place an arm across him. ''Next time we do that, don't wear a condom.'' He sputtered and looked at her for different phrasing. ''That doesn't mean I want a baby. I just want to know if it feels better. We did it like that for our first but it's difficult to judge.'' He squinted at her, mouth agape. ''Anyway, good night.'' He tilted his head to view the ceiling, mouth still wide open. What?!

 **Thanks for reading! I basically promised readers a lemon a long time ago and never found a good point in the story up until now. I apologise if it was bad but I struggle to write them in ways that are both detailed and not over the top. Please leave a review if you want the lemons to be written differently in future. (Yes, I will be doing more!) See ya!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi Everyone! I know what you're all thinking (if you've been waiting since last year at least). Where the HELL have I been? I don't have a good answer for that I'm afraid. My Word subscription ran out, my family ran into a spot of bother and my last year of college was swamping me with homework and studying. And after 2 years of said college, it doesn't matter because of Covid-19. Brilliant. I have, quite literally, about 16 hours free a day to write, so I've decided to get back in the saddle. I don't know when I'll be stopping, but enjoy the ride for now!**

Class 77 and 78 were up earlier than usual the next morning. It was never a good idea to be late, even fashionably in circumstances like this. They didn't know what the gathering at the hospital would bring, but it certainly couldn't be a trap; not with their loved ones there. That meant that even the most skeptical and untrusting of the group had little choice but to travel with them. The main concern was leaving their home completely devoid of inhabitants until they returned. Hajime was practically certain that there was nothing to worry about. His many Talents were enough to remind them that he was likely correct. After all, they'd only be out for roughly a day.

Makoto was pacing around near the pool table as he waited for the others to get ready to leave. He heard his door open; it had a unique squeak to it that all the other rooms lacked. He seemed to have a thing for doors not matching, even outside the Killing Game. Kyoko emerged in her purple jacket and had been a while since she'd last worn that ensemble. She straightened her hair slightly as she clicked the heels of her boots together. After last night, he didn't feel the need to wander over as he usually did. They'd had plenty of interaction for her to know he wasn't avoiding her. Avoiding wasn't too strange at the moment, however. Aoi had been incredibly skittish since last night. Kissing him probably wasn't the greatest choice for her emotionally. Now she'd be overthinking if he felt the same way. He hoped that seeing Yuta would take her mind off of that, even briefly.

Slowly, the 77th Class left their rooms and gathered around the TV. Peko and Fuyuhiko wore matching striped grey suits, though the jacket and blouse was looser on Peko to allow her more breathing room with her baby bump. Hajime wore an entirely black suit with few discerning features, though it was immaculately fitted and smoothed out. Chiaki hadn't attempted to match him in the slightest. If anything, she'd tried to oppose his colour scheme. She wore a pink cocktail dress with open-toed platform heels of the same colour. She had put her hair up into a messy bun but kept her trademark hair pin in. Ibuki was laying on the couch, risking wrinkling her chequered pink and blue dress, which it seemed that she had hand-made. She had clearly gone for an outfit that matched the colours in her hair to a tee. One pink heel, one blue heel. A pair of sunglasses with a pink and a blue lens. She looked like she'd fallen in paint of those two colours but it had a certain appeal to it that Makoto couldn't quite describe. Mahiru sat, legs crossed, next to Ibuki's head in a yellow sundress that flowed to just above her knees. She wore buckled sandals with them that showed even more of her pastel pale legs. Gundham was the only member of the older class not to adjust his clothing, though Makoto thought he noticed the Devas' fur was combed and… shampooed? His upperclassmen really did know how to dress up. His class on the other hand…

Byakuya was almost identical to normal. He wore his dark green suit with little differences. His shoes had been shined at least; hopefully he had done that himself, and not Toko. He glanced at the Writer. Whilst her hair remained messy and flowing in a dozen different directions, her clothing was night and day from her usual tattered dress. Her dress was of a similar purple colour to her hair but had lighter navy accents here and there. Had Byakuya picked it out for her? He liked to think so. He let his eyes wander to Aoi. He hoped she didn't get the idea he was ogling her. Though he had to admit… she did look nice. Gone was the sporty girl he'd grown accustomed to. Before him stood a gorgeous woman who allowed her hair to fall to her lower back. She stayed in the same shade of red as her jacket, though the dress Ibuki had picked for her left a lot on display. For his sake, he wanted that to be more of a fashion statement than an attempt at seduction. Junko was more than enough of a rival on that front. She would've left in a thong if she could. But the sterner girls among the group had forced her into a white party gown that flared outwards at the bottom. She seemed inconvenienced by the need to hike up the front to walk but was clearly still determined to flaunt what she had. If she was made to travel for fears of escaping whilst the others were gone, she'd do it in style.

The group waited impatiently for Hiro. Mahiru and Fuyuhiko grew frustrated and called for him from outside his room. ''O-oh, hold on guys!'' A voice yelled out from inside. The door swung open to reveal… a clean and tidy man?! ''Holy shit!'' Junko exclaimed. ''My god!'' Byakuya approached him, suspicion in his eyes. ''You mean to tell me you've been capable of looking so… _unlike yourself_ all this time?'' Hiro chuckled and looked down at himself. It seemed he'd even impressed himself and that was deserved. His porcupine-like hair had been reduced to a single, enormous strand and the back of his head with simple cornrows leading to it across his scalp. His suit was of a simple, yet refined, light blue that echoed the daytime sky. The most impressive feature (or least Hiro-like feature, if you'd prefer) was the fact he was wearing formal shoes. Not sandals. Shoes! Everyone in Class 78 was amazed he could sharpen up so well. ''Well, yeah! I had a lot of high profile guests for my fortune reading!'' He grinned at Byakuya and slapped a hand on his shoulder. Oddly, Byakuya didn't swipe the appendage away immediately, choosing to gently pry the Shaman's hand off him. ''Hmph.'' He spun on his heels and strode away, though Makoto swore he saw a smile that matched Yasuhiro's.

''Well then,'' Hajime began. ''We should be leaving.'' He ushered Junko up the ladder and Fuyuhiko followed close behind. The upwards conga line grew larger as each student began their ascent. ''Wait a minute, we aren't all fitting in that one car. So how are we getting there?'' Aoi asked as she placed a foot on the ladder. ''You'll see. It's actually quite neat.'' Mahiru said from behind her. Junko reached the top and pushed the cover off the manhole, clambering out. ''I hope you jackass men realise how hard it is for the ladies wearing heels to _climb a ladder_!'' She screamed down from above them. ''She makes a good point, can't lie.'' Ibuki admitted as she eyed her own footwear. She leapt up the first few rungs regardless, leaving just Kyoko, Makoto and Hajime on the ground below. ''Close the door behind you, please.'' Hajime said to them as he skulked away. ''You off to fetch something for our travels?'' Kyoko met his back with a smirk. ''Can't hide anything from you, can I, Detective?'' He said with a hint of friendly sarcasm. ''You heard the man, Makoto. Up we go.'' She started climbing leaving the Ultimate Hope to watch Hajime slink into the storeroom behind the kitchen. ''That's where the armory is.'' He mumbled quietly as he gripped a rung of the ladder. The climb up was a tentative one. What was he doing that he'd need guns for?

Makoto slid the cover to their home back over and straightened his back. Fuyuhiko whistled and motioned to Gundham, Ibuki, Mahiru, Peko and Chiaki, who held Hiyoko in a papoose on her back, to follow him. ''You people wait for Hajime. We ain't got room for you in the car. But you won't be walkin' there.'' The sound of clicking heels declined as they walked to the garage. Hiro kicked a can and clicked his tongue. ''Well. That's cool. Just leave us out here when they've got giant bugs and rats around. Cool.'' He huffed and moved to sit in the road, but reconsidered when he recalled the quality of his suit. Toko wringed her hands nervously and scooted closer to Byakuya, who offered no objections but rolled his eyes. The Affluent Progeny raised an eyebrow. ''Well, that's quite the renovation.''

The rest of the group attempted to meet where he was staring. A fast, black blob was drawing in from the distance. ''Is that a bus?'' Aoi asked as she shielded her eyes from the Sun. Within seconds the blob was now recognisable as a school bus. Another handful of seconds later the bus had pulled up a few metres away. Upon closer inspection, the reason it had looked black in the distance was not because of the blur. It was because it _was_ black. Entirely. There was no trace of the original mustard yellow one would associate with a school bus. There were reflective panels scattered over the bus. Makoto made the educated guess that they were in place to make it easier to find in the dark. The doors flung open to reveal Hajime in the driver's seat. ''Hop in, everyone!'' Junko needed no more invitation, lifting up the front of her dress and stepping up into the bus. She quickly made her way to the seats at the back and sat in a very un-ladylike position with her legs akimbo. The class boarded and took up random seats across the bus, of which there was a generous selection. Kyoko sat on the outside of Makoto and rested her head on his shoulder. He returned the favour and rested his head atop hers. Toko, with an accusatory finger, was the last to get on. ''W-Where the hell did you g-get this from?'' Hajime laughed and tapped the steering wheel with his forefinger. ''You really think people thought of breaking into school garages after the bombs dropped? They were busy raiding the kitchens.'' Toko seemed upset by that answer, as if the idea of those less lucky than they made her feel sympathetic of their struggle. She hurried to the seat behind Togami and placed her head against the window. Hajime had clearly replaced, or at the very least, tinted them a darker grey colour. Hajime placed the keys back in the ignition and the passengers felt the bus rumble into life. Hajime followed the same road both he and Fuyuhiko had traversed when they'd taken him to Keio University Hospital before. Hajime hollered to those behind him that his classmates were just a little ways in front of them along the same road. Makoto smiled inwardly. That meant the chances of something of a similar vein to the incident yesterday was even lower. Kyoko nuzzled further into the crook of his neck and he conceded himself to watch the scenery.

The journey felt shorter when he relaxed and took in the scenes. When they rolled up to the enormous survivor enclave, a gasp or two escaped Aoi and Hiro. Hajime brought the bus to stop and tugged the keys out before placing them into his pocket. Everyone hopped out and walked towards the large flight of stairs by the hospital's main entrance. Makoto recognised Kirumi as she spoke to the 77th Class who were already at the top. ''-Just through the doors of the waiting room on the 3rd floor. There are refreshments there, , yes. Yes, I did prepare them myself, .'' The smaller group entered the building. Chiaki turned around to face Hajime, her papoose now on her front and a baby basket in hand. Hajime jogged up the stairs, giving Kirumi a quick wave as he went past her. Kirumi glanced down at her elders climbing the steps but did not speak until they were on level ground. ''Hello to you all. I am Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid.'' She smiled broadly before turning to face Makoto. ''May I say it is a pleasure to see you once again . And you too, .'' She gave the tanned Ultimate Swimmer a small nod before pointing towards the doors. ''I will lead you all inside and to the small room we have transformed into a party room to accomodate you. Please do not hesitate to ask or request anything of me. Now, if you would.'' She jumped into life and strode inside. ''Finally, someone besides Kyoko who speaks with an air of sophistication.'' Byakuya led the charge indoors. Toko rushed to his side and the four stragglers were left to catch up.

Makoto stayed extra aware of the other, untalented survivors. God, he hated thinking of them that way. No one was acting any differently than they were the last two days he'd been here. Maybe they didn't even know that there was a party going on above their heads. If he and Aoi garnered a lot of attention last time, now that all 6 of them were here it was ten times that. ''Love your books, Toko!'' An older man yelled out. The Author's face flushed and her solemn look became a devilish grin that would put Junko to shame. And Junko was being put to shame. People were certainly acting differently when they realised she was amongst them. It was fairly difficult to hide her strawberry blonde hair, especially when it remained in the two twintails. The Fashionista was bombarded with insults and abuse as she walked through the halls. It was fortunate for them all that no one chose to hurl objects at her. That wouldn't fare well for the other students if the attacker had bad aim. Kirumi was clearly keeping a watchful eye for anyone foolish enough to try. The Ultimates reached the stairs that led to the 2nd Floor and Kirumi urged her guests to climb. Junko was shuffling her feet at the rear of the pack, almost inviting more abuse. And it came.

Junko reeled back in pain and fell against the first step as something struck the side of her head. ''Fucking bitch! You stupid, fucking whore! What makes you think you can just come here, huh?!'' Kirumi spun around to find two bearded men at the end of the hallway. Makoto descended the stairs and lifted Junko onto her feet. She already had an enormous bruise around a large gash on her forehead that was bleeding heavily. Makoto looked at the ground to find the weapon. A brick?! He eyed the two men. On the gurney next to them lay a bag full of red bricks. He hoped for the community here's sake that they weren't always there. He wrapped Junko's arm around his shoulders and made a start up the stairs. ''How did that feel, whore?!'' Makoto placed her on the stairs lightly, entrusting her wellness to Kirumi. '' _Fantastic…_ '' Junko whispered in response. Makoto could see her face in his peripheral vision. She was in despair-fueled ecstasy. Similarly to when she realised she'd been bested at the end of the Killing Game. Maybe they should've left her back in the shelter, after all.

''Hey! She's with us!'' He approached the two men. They had weathered, broken faces that displayed no remorse. ''Sorry , we should've considered that we might've hit you.'' The older, grey-bearded man said as he elbowed his younger goateed friend, who sprung into life. ''Oh! Yeah, sorry .'' _?_ That made him sound old. Did they respect his actions during the Killing Game that much? ''That wasn't what I meant.'' He spoke firmly. ''She shouldn't hurt her just because she is who she is.'' The pair looked confused. ''She tried to kill you, man!'' The younger attacker said. ''And she basically destroyed the world!'' The older man looked furious with his attempts at placation, but he couldn't allow himself to appear intimidated by something as easily deflected as anger. ''You don't think I'd make her feel all the pain of everyone she's hurt if it wouldn't kill her?'' He asked rhetorically. The pair remained quiet. ''We're no better than her if we resort to violence when it isn't necessary. You can easily defeat people with your mind and your words. Break their spirit and break them mentally.'' He leant in slightly closer and spoke through his teeth. ''Why do you think we keep her with us?'' He said in a whisper. The men seemed to catch on. ''Ah. You just fuck 'em up up here.'' The grey-haired man pointed to his temple. He patted his accomplice on the shoulder and they both turned away. ''Make that bitch suffer, .'' One of them said. His shoulders dropped as he turned to face Kirumi. ''You handled that very well, .'' He sighed. ''I don't think I really got through to them at all.'' The Maid narrowed her eyes. ''I would ask that you take Enoshima upstairs. I shall tail these two to ensure we have no more conspirators in our midst.''

Luckily for him, Kyoko returned to help bring Junko to the 3rd Floor. She was essentially dead weight in a dress that kept catching the floor. Even with the two of them it was quite difficult to heave her up a flight of stairs. Aoi and Hiro remained behind them when they did, just in case the weight caused them to topple backwards. After a fairly extended walk to the 3rd floor conference room he'd been in just 2 days ago, they placed Junko on the small couch in the waiting room and closed the door to avoid any follow-up attackers. The blood had trickled-no, streamed- down her face and had begun to drip off her chin onto her dress. She probably shouldn't have worn white today. The doors to the conference room burst open and Kaede strolled out to greet them. Shuichi stayed a few feet behind in silence, but still kept a warm, welcoming smile on his face. Kaede, too, obviously despised the Ultimate Despair but was too polite to voice objection to her presence. She didn't even glance in her direction as she shook hands and introduced herself. Kirumi opened the door to the waiting room gently, gauze and a bottle of medical disinfectant in hand. She closed the door behind her and took a knee in front of Junko, who had finally lost consciousness. Makoto watched curiously as Kirumi poured the contents of the bottle onto a handkerchief and patted the wound firmly. He felt an arm reach across his shoulders and turn him towards the doors. He looked over to see Shuichi. ''She'll be fine. Kirumi is pretty good at first aid. She was one of Hajime's assistants for Kaito's operation.'' He didn't smile, but there was something about his features that reassured him. Makoto turned again to Junko; Kirumi had laid her down to stop her reaching up so far. His eyes remained fixed upon them whilst he let Shuichi walk him into the party.

The conference room looked… enormous. He couldn't believe how big that table was now that it was no longer in the centre of the room. Instead, it seemed to be in two halves at either end of the room, both halves having sandwiches and canned drinks. 2 leather chairs were pushed against the wall on either side of these halves, allowing seating for 8 people. His underclassmen didn't seem to be too dressed up; only Shuichi, Kaede and Kirumi seemed to have worn something formal. ''Sorry about the lack of punch and hot dogs.'' Shuichi said comedically. ''It's just a bit hard to find things like that that didn't expire over a year ago.'' He kept an arm around his shoulder and walked him to the nearest table. Miu was leaning on it, speaking to a tall boy with light green, curly hair. Shuichi relinquished his grip on him and patted his back. ''Don't worry if you feel awkward. I don't particularly like parties either.'' The Luckster looked at him closely. His face had warped from that of a self-assured leader to that of a nervous eccentric. ''I'm going to go find Kaede. Make sure to get to know everyone, yeah?'' He patted his back again but it seemed more of a method of pepping himself up than Makoto.

Makoto met Miu's eyes. She had only flicked them over at him for a moment but now they'd met she kept looking despite her conversation with the tall boy. To distract himself, he grabbed a sandwich and a random drink without looking. Hopefully his luck would grant him something he'd like. Both Miu and the tall boy were occasionally eyeing him now. He sighed internally. He resigned himself to the social ineptitude and scooted closer. '' _ **H-**_ hello.'' Wow, Makoto. What a time to have a voice crack. The tall boy turned to face him, his fuzzy hair wobbling around slightly. ''Hey there. You must be Makoto Naegi.'' He offered a hand and Makoto took it eagerly. Maybe too eagerly. He hoped he hadn't broken his hand with that connection. ''Huh, you don't look as hunky as you did on TV.'' Miu said flatly. ''We met the other day. Were you not paying attention?'' Makoto asked, not knowing whether to be insulted or flattered by that comment. ''Oh yeah. I guess I just wasn't trying to peek at you then.'' Miu snorted and took a sip of her drink. ''Ignore her, Makoto. She's a bad egg.'' The tall boy widened his eyes as he spoke, hinting that he meant that in a mocking manner. ''Oh shove it, Rantaro.'' Miu huffed. Makoto giggled. ''Oh, so your name is Rantaro?'' The tall boy perked up in surprise. ''Oh yeah. I didn't actually introduce myself. Duh!'' He thumbed to his chest. ''I'm Rantaro Amami, Ultimate Explorer. Or Ultimate Adventurer. I'm one of the good guys.''

Makoto smiled and there was a content silence among them. Rantaro spun to look at Miu. ''Uh, you wanna…?'' Miu looked offended. ''You mean the little runt doesn't know who I am? ME?! MIU IRUMA?!'' She stood up from the table and marched to him. ''Everyone in my class had their memories wiped. I don't think any of us would remember you…'' He trailed off, scared to insult her pride. Miu whimpered and she looked incredibly dejected. ''I-I'm the U-Ultimate Inventor. You should remember that, please.'' She grabbed his shoulders. ''Please remember it! _Please!''_ She looked at him in desperation. ''O-Okay.'' He smiled weakly at her. ''You're damn right, you will! No one forgets the gorgeous girl genius!'' She pumped her fists in delight. That was a fast recovery. Makoto excused himself and walked further into the centre of the room.

Kyoko was speaking to Kaede just to his left. However, he saw two spikes bobbing up and down by his waist. He looked down to see a tiny boy with large round eyes. He wore a beanie with two black spikes protruding from it. ''Hello there.'' He said as he looked down. Was it impolite to look down? He genuinely couldn't see him without looking down, so maybe it was okay? ''Hey kid. Nice to meet ya.'' His voice was the exact opposite of what he'd imagined. It was very deep and gravelly, like a heavy smoker. But he looked incredibly young and he was a member of the 79th Class, right? That meant he was younger than him with a voice like that.

''I'm Ryoma Hoshi, former Ultimate Tennis Player. Though my talent was basically gone before I even joined Hope's Peak.'' He gripped the brim of his hat. ''How so?'' Makoto raised a brow inquisitively. ''I killed some mobsters, kid. I went to juvie because of it. They let me attend Hope's Peak on bail. Some corporate fat cat must've pulled some strings to pull me outta there.'' He was clearly fazed by the memories. It was evident in both his vacant, lifeless expression and the way his mouth remained slightly agape. Makoto would've been taken aback at the mention of murder had he not experienced far worse in the last few months. People he'd never considered capable of violence had been pushed to it when placed in the right situation. ''Were they bad people?'' Makoto kept a straight face. Ryoma's huge eyes got even bigger. Then he understood. ''The worst kind. Murderers without motives.'' The shorter man looked towards the floor. ''Then I wouldn't feel too bad. The world won't remember something like that in the long run. And besides, they'd be dead now regardless. It's difficult to live with your mistakes, especially when they affect others so much and you're unsure if those the men killed would be proud of your decision to avenge them. So don't doubt that they would. Just think of it like helping a ghost with unfinished business. Just… a ghost that you know.'' He smiled and Ryoma hesitated, cogs clearly turning in his mind. That was potentially one of his worst motivational speeches yet. He returned a small smirk of his own. ''Not bad, kid. I can see why they call you the Ultimate Hope.'' He gave him a thumbs up and skulked off. Phew. That could've gone badly.

''Excuse me.'' A tired voice croaked from behind him. He turned to see the redhead in the wizard's hat he saw gathered around Kokichi. ''Hi. I'm Makoto.'' He held out a hand and the girl moved to meet it. Just before contact was made, a sudden kick separated them. Makoto recoiled and nursed his now sore hand. ''Himiko! How could you! He's a degenerate!'' A dark haired girl in a blue jacket shirt and a skirt of a similar colour pointed at him whilst scowling at Himiko. Himiko sighed and rolled her eyes. ''This is Makoto Naegi, Tenko. You know, the guy who beat Junko Enoshima?'' Tenko, who Makoto assumed was a martial artist of some kind, narrowed her eyes. ''The cameras made you seem more formidable.'' Makoto raised a brow. Himiko waved his hand in front of his face in exasperation. She kept waving despite him looking directly at her. ''Nyeh!'' Suddenly, 3 cards appeared in the gaps between her fingers and a single card balanced on her thumb. She grinned and motioned to the left hand with her right. Makoto matched her expression. ''So you're a magician?'' He mumbled. ''Mage. But the bombs sapped all my mana, so I'm reduced to simple tricks like this.'' She cast her eyes to the cards, an almost distraught look swallowing her previously happy face. ''I'm Himiko Yumeno, Ultimate Magician, for now. But when all the plants grow again I'll be the Ultimate Mage, just you watch.'' She brightened up as she spoke. Now she just looked tired.

'' _Ahem.''_ They both turned to Tenko, who tapped her foot impatiently. She swung her leg up towards his face. He made to move backwards whilst reaching out a hand to grab the taller girl's leg. The small amount of combat training Hajime had provided some benefit. He clasped the girl's leg just above the ankle and suspended it level with Himiko's head. The material in his palm was coarse and he looked at the appendage. Socks and sandals? Strange. ''Hmm. Good reflexes- for a degenerate.'' Makoto released her and Tenko brought her leg down slowly. ''What martial art do you study?'' He asked. He'd learnt a lot of stances and openers from Sakura but didn't recognise the positioning Tenko was using. She began moving her arms and legs in an almost mesmerising fashion, mimicking kicks, chops and punches.''Neo Aikido. I am potentially the last of my class, if not the last of everyone who ever practised it. As the Ultimate Aikido Master, I can't let my art die!'' Several people around her stopped to gawk. ''Miss Chabashira,'' Kirumi, who was evidently done cleaning Junko up, got the fighter's attention, ''Please look under you.'' Miu was on the floor under her, crawling away. She pressed a palm against her cheek and stood when she deemed herself to be a safe distance away. Tenko practically threw herself at Miu and apologised profusely. Miu seemed as uncomfortable as she was on the floor and pushed her away. Both of them were yelling at this point, though everyone in the 77th and 79th Class had already resumed their conversations, albeit at a higher volume. Were their underclassmen even more eccentric than either of their older Hope's Peak graduates?

''Yahoooo!'' A soft voice called from behind him. He spun to see a tanned girl of a similar complexion to Aoi in a long yellow jacket. She had a shell bra beneath that just peaked out from the coat. Long white hair flowed down her back and onto her shoulders and contrasted her blue orbs that met his like a laser. ''Angie Yonaga!'' She thrust a hand into his chest. ''I am known as the Ultimate Artist!'' She retracted her arm before he could shake and pulled a paintbrush from a belt she had strewn across her white, layered skirt. ''Atua says that you would be a fantastic model, and Atua is never wrong.'' She moved the end of the dry brush along his jacket sleeve. ''Atua?'' Makoto scrunched his face in confusion. ''Yes, Atua! I am glad you asked about Him!'' She twirled the brush in her hand. ''Atua is all-powerful, all-seeing and _I_ am his vessel! Everyone on my island worships and loves Atua. He is the artist, really. I am just a brush.'' She clasped her hands together in prayer and clenched her eyes shut. Makoto stood in silence as the Artist practised her devotion. Her eyes burst open with renewed vigor and she took both his hands in her, gently swaying them. ''You will model for me, yes? Even if you would like a partner with you to feel safer?'' Makoto laughed nervously and tried to look anywhere but Angie.

His gaze found Kyoko, in light conversation with Gonta. Judging by the excitement in his booming voice he was telling her about bugs. If he knew anything about Kyoko, she was humouring him out of politeness more than interest. Maybe modelling wouldn't be so bad, if Kyoko was there. A portrait of the two of them may be quite a nice addition to their room. ''Okay, I'll model for you sometime soon. Should we say next week? I won't say for sure because I don't know any schedules or whatever.'' He finally met her eyeline again. Angie was shaking. He hoped with excitement and not fear. There was a glisten in her eyes as she placed her hands on her hips. She slotted the paintbrush back into the belt and managed to steady herself. She turned around and slowly walked over to one of the chairs that lay next to the half table at the far end of the room. She sat down and tilted her head towards him. She then gave him a double thumbs up and slumped her head over the back of her chair. She was stomping her feet softly and bobbing up and down. Was she actually excited at all? Or was she _so_ excited that she was afraid of weirding him out? Either way, he was going to model next week. He hoped he was tall enough to avoid sitting on a stool or something.

Right. Now he just had to look for two unfamiliar faces. He found one sitting in one of the recliners opposite to Angie. Well, half a face. The individual wore a mask over their mouth and nose that obscured most of their features. He instinctively marched over to introduce himself, steeling himself for a strange conversation. The seat next to the student was free. At least that meant he wouldn't have to face the concept of speaking down to them. He decided swiftness would be better than waiting for a talking point. He collapsed into the seat and turned to face the mystery figure.

''Hello, I'm Makoto Naegi.'' He outstretched his hand. The student reached out and clasped it with slender, bandaged fingers. ''My name is Korekiyo Shinguji. I am called the Ultimate Anthropologist.'' Korekiyo straightened in his seat, giving Makoto a clearer view of his clothes. A dark green uniform with a series of chains and pendants strewn over his jacket. A red armband loosely gripped his left sleeve. ''This is quite the party, isn't it?'' He placed his hand back down on the chair's armrest and closed his eyes. ''Yeah but… you don't seem to be getting too involved.'' Makoto gulped as he spoke. ''It is enough to simply watch the festivities. It is pleasant to be reminded that despite the horrors of the outside world, we have something beautiful _here,_ in this very room.'' He stood and motioned for Makoto to do the same. The boy was incredibly tall and slender, like a lamppost. Korekiyo slowly walked towards one of the tables. There was room to scoot around it and walked towards a window that scaled from floor to ceiling. ''Look to the distance, Mr Naegi. Can you see all of those dead trees and the lack of healthy colour in the dirt?'' Makoto nodded and Korekiyo saw this in the window's reflection. He then lowered his pointing finger to the blossoming trees near the path up to the hospital's gate. ''Notice the significant difference? I often stand guard at our gate. I interview survivors and evaluate if they would be fitting members of our society.'' Makoto hesitated but spoke regardless. ''What does this have to do with the colour of the trees?'' Korekiyo laughed. Makoto didn't like it. He had such an ominous way of acting and speaking. His mannerisms were of demons from the very folklore he would've studied. ''It is my belief that the trees lead people here. Beauty often attracts many admirers. Or perhaps _Kodama_ lead them here.'' Korekiyo adjusted his mask. ''We have something special here. I intend to document every moment of our time here so that future generations may bask in the sun in greener pastures knowing what we created.'' His eyes grew dark despite his positive words. The conference room door opened with a loud click, withdrawing him from his thoughts.

Komaru wandered in, a large round object propped under her armpit. A tanned boy walked in behind her, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Hina screamed and sprinted towards him, enveloping him as she wept maniacally. ''Ah, your sister.'' Korekiyo was now facing her too. ''Do all of you know her?'' Makoto asked over his shoulder. ''Of course. She was incredibly helpful in dealing with the Hope's Peak Elementary Students in the shelter next door to ours. She would be an excellent friend for my sister.'' Korekiyo tightened his fists. ''Is your sister here too? At the hospital, I mean?'' Korekiyo's smile was made obvious through the contours of his mask. ''She is always amongst us. Perhaps you'll meet her soon.'' Makoto smiled back. ''I'll just say hi to my sister. It's been a while since I last spoke at length with her.'' As Makoto stepped forward, the Folk Lore specialist wrapped his slender fingers around his arm. ''No, Mr Naegi, you misunderstand. _She would be an excellent friend for my sister.''_ He placed extreme amounts of emphasis on that phrase. His forehead was sweaty and his vision seemed laboured. Suddenly, he began contorting and popping several joints. He let go of the Luckster's arm just in time for his own to fly outwards rapidly and bang against the wall to his right. He came to stop in a perfectly straight posture and cleared his throat. ''Please excuse me, that was a cue for me to take my medication.'' His voice was chirpy and there was renewed energy in his stride as he left the room. Makoto became aware how wide his eyes were and the sweat forming on his brow. Note to self. Avoid Korekiyo Shinguji if you're alone.

He helped himself to the remainder of his drink and another sandwich to calm his frayed nerves. That interaction would certainly be one of several memorable moments from today. Komaru called out to him, forcing a small jog to her. ''I'm glad you're here. Some of these people are a bit too weird for me to handle.'' Komaru giggled at that. ''You get used to it, trust me. I'm just a normal highschool girl and I did. Should be no trouble for you at all.'' There was a content silence as the Naegi siblings truly took how they looked in. They had been on such an emotional high yesterday they didn't have much time to account for looks.

''You grew up so much.''

''You grew up so much.''

There was another brief silence before the two broke out into laughter.

''I mean it!''

''I mean it!''

God, they were siblings, not twins. How were they thinking so similarly? ''We almost have the same hair, too!'' Komaru pointed out as she flicked his ahoge. ''Hey!'' ''Oh, hold on! There's someone else here with the same thing!'' She ran over to Kaito, who was holding the object she'd had under her arm earlier. She turned around and he recoiled in surprise. A head? And it was speaking and moving its eyes? As his sister drew near he observed the same antenna-like piece of hair that both of the siblings shared. The head's hair showed no similarities besides that; it was a bright white and a lot longer and spikier. ''Greetings!'' The head called out to him. ''I am K1-B0, but please, address me as Kiibo. I am the Ultimate Robot.'' Kiibo had a very smug look on his face, his light blue 'eyes' constantly resizing as he spoke. ''Uh, without a body?'' Makoto asked. ''Didn't you have one yesterday?'' Kiibo's smug expression faltered but remained. ''Yes, I did. Unfortunately, the battery capacity of my body is only two hours and is not self-sustaining at the moment. I took a substantial amount of damage whilst in our shelter.'' His face never changed, it seemed. Or perhaps he'd just explained this so many times it was second nature. ''It's a big shame, really,'' Komaru interjected. ''He's super strong when he has his body. He does most of the heavy lifting with Gonta.'' Kiibo laughed triumphantly. ''Komaru is correct. My body is capable of lifting several hundred tonnes.'' ''For two hours a day!'' Miu yelled from her spot by the drinks. ''Maybe if you'd let me have full control over fixing you it'd be different!'' Kiibo finally appeared to be something other than smug. Now he just looked sad. ''She is right. I was foolish both in the ways I was damaged and how I delegated my repairs.'' Makoto narrowed his eyes. That was a line of inquiry for another time. ''So, you wanna meet Kyoko?'' Komaru's brows raised. ''I thought you'd never ask!'' She then looked down at Kiibo's disembodied form. ''Oh, um…'' ''Throw him here!'' Miu had edged closer and called for the highschooler to throw the head. ''Please be careful…'' Kiibo pleaded as Komaru prepared the toss. She launched him into Miu's waiting arms, who smothered him with her breasts. ''How ya doing, baby boy?'' She asked as she used the buckles on her top to hang Kiibo in the center of her chest. ''You are lucky I am not capable of suffocating.'' Kiibo said, frazzled by his fast handover. ''It'd be a good way to go though, huh? Killed by these perfect things?'' Miu snickered and walked back towards the drinks.

Luckily Kyoko was not speaking with anyone when they found her at the opposite table perusing the sandwiches. She spun to face them as they approached. ''How'd you know it was me?'' The Ultimate Hope asked. ''I recognised your footsteps. You must be Komaru. It's lovely to meet you.'' Kyoko offered a gloved hand, which was slapped aside as Komaru engulfed her in a hug so powerful the Detective almost toppled backwards onto the table. ''I see you are both so open emotionally.'' Kyoko said to her boyfriend over the top of Komaru's head. His sister pulled away. ''Thank you for looking after him. He's a klutz and can be pretty dumb sometimes and can say stupid stuff and-'' Kyoko planted a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder, halting her train of thought. ''Believe me, I know how silly your brother can be. It won't stop me loving him as much as I do.'' Her pale complexion got the tiniest bit pinker and he felt his own cheeks hotten up at the touching words. Komaru squealed in glee and wrapped her arms around her again. This time, Kyoko wasn't afraid to smile.

After exchanging some stories, the three looked towards the room's centre. Aoi and her brother Yuta were still hugging. They looked remarkably similar. Yuta missed the swirl that Aoi had atop her head but their faces shared many features. Aoi was rarely so happy she'd cry. She was far more likely to cry out of anger or frustration as she had during the many trials of the Killing Game. He felt that same familial warmth he had when he reunited with Komaru emanating from the Asahina siblings. The other students allowed them to wail and be far louder than their conversations. They must've realised how much this meant to them and possibly how much they would want to see their family once again. Makoto took the opportunity to introduce Komaru to the rest of his friends.

Hiro was first up; thankfully he didn't try to convince her into letting him read her fortune. If anything, he tried his best to make her laugh. He was evidently in a good mood. That may have come down to a lack of awareness of Gonta. If Sakura intimidated him, he had more reason to fear The Entomologist, he could certainly produce a fierce look or two. Byakuya continued to surprise him further. He was very civil, choosing to entertain conversation about mundane and average things, much to Komaru's appreciation. He even had a successful conversation about pop music, though Makoto could tell he was bluffing his way through it. As the girls turned away, he flashed a thankful smile at the Ultimate Heir, who only returned a curt nod in acknowledgement. Now they faced their biggest hurdle. Toko Fukawa was probably the closest to the antithesis of Komaru. ''Wow!'' His sister trotted over to The Author and clapped her hands together in excitement. ''You're gorgeous!'' Toko recoiled, her face a perfect personification of the word 'astonished.' Toko stuttered and failed to produce anything intelligible whilst her cheeks grew more and more red. ''Where'd you get that dress? It really matches your hair!'' Komaru continued her ruthless verbal assault with Toko taking too much damage to continue. Kyoko gave him a look. A 'Stop Her' look. Makoto stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulder, before turning her away slightly. ''Go easy on the compliments, yeah? She's quite emotionally sensitive, not to mention a little… volatile. Just introduce yourself and go from there.'' He raised his brows, awaiting a reply. Komaru stroked her chin in consideration, before shaking her head up and down in approval. He smiled wide and she matched him. Then, as if none of that information went in, she grabbed Toko by the hand and dragged her to the closest table, bombarding her with questions. Makoto looked back at his girlfriend, who tucked her lavender hair and failed to stifle a snort. He sighed, loudly. Eccentrics were very draining on an average guy like himself. ''Makoto, over here!''

He perked up at the sound of Hina's voice. He met Kyoko's eyes and she nodded before subtly pointing to the siblings with an elbow, her arms never leaving their crossed position. The Ultimate Lucky Student winked and wandered over. ''Heya! I'm Yuta!'' Her brother waved, despite being maybe 6ft away. ''Normally I'd write your name on my hand a few times, but I don't think anyone could forget your name!'' Makoto smirked and looked at Aoi. ''Oh, so that's a family thing? Not just your bad memory?'' The Swimmer slapped his shoulder and groaned. ''Hey! Why do you have to try so hard to embarrass me?'' She shook her head in disgust as her face flushed. ''He barely said anything…'' Yuta narrowed his eyes and looked back and forth between them. ''Wait. Hina, do you like him?!'' Hina's face now flushed with fury than the previous state of discomfort. ''Yuta! Really?!'' She leapt towards him but her brother grabbed her wrists and held her at arm's length. ''Woah! Calm down, sis! I didn't think it was that bad!'' The Swimmer groaned loudly before pulling back with a huff. Makoto decided that now would be an excellent time to change the subject.

''So, Yuta… you were in some type of bunker with Komaru, weren't you?'' He raised a brow momentarily before settling into a neutral expression. ''Oh, she already told you about that?'' He clicked his tongue and began rapidly motioning with his hands as he spoke. ''I assume she told you about the whole 'mock apartment' thing, right? Well there were even more around in this facility but all the doors were left open. We didn't see anyone else at all, but I'm _sure_ there were more people there at some point.'' Makoto took it all in gradually. If both he and Aoi had relatives there, did that mean that all of his class had family locked away by Enoshima? He'd have to ask her later, when she was fully over her head injury. ''Were the apartments comfortable at least?'' Aoi asked, the Luckster's line of questioning clearly intriguing her too. ''Yeah, they were big and all the furniture was comfy and stuff. Ooh, and there was one of those fancy toasters! And a donut maker! I should've brought it with me to give to you, but I wasn't sure where you would be... '' He laughed nervously as he gave his sister a rye smile. ''When you really think about this, the last few years have been real bad for almost all of us, huh?'' Hina spoke, but to no one in particular. A somber note to end on. ''Hey, things are already looking up.'' Makoto tried to lift them both. ''You're back together and we've got almost 30 people in this room who have the ability to change the world. We'll make everything better, yeah?'' Yuta leaned over to his sister and shielded his mouth with his palm. ''I can see why you like him.'' Ah. He certainly had the same amount of subtlety as his older sister. ''Are you stupid?!'' She attempted to speak with a hush but her anger betrayed her. GOD, was this awkward. It felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He'd need a good reason to excuse himself and recompose with these two acting this way.

As if to answer his silent prayers, the doors to the conference room flew open to showcase Junko. Her white gown was still coated in blood around her left breast and shoulder and the blood on her face had started to dry and congeal. The entire room fell quiet as all the students eyed the mass murderer. Junko paid them no mind and walked over to Makoto. ''Is she cosplaying as Carrie or something?'' Miu asked Kyoko. ''Someone attacked her in the corridors on the way up here.'' The Detective responded, watching the Despair out of the corner of her eye. ''Ha! Serves the bitch right!'' The Inventor snorted and Kibo swayed side to side as she did.

Makoto tried to gauge the others while Junko strode over to him. His interaction was important for his reputation and how it would make his underclassmen react to him. Kaito and Shuichi were practically pinning Maki in a corner. Murderous intent was evident in her harsh gaze and she would certainly have both the skill and the tools to kill quickly. Even Gonta, kindhearted as he may be, seemed agitated by her appearance. It was almost as if no one was aware she was in the room just next door. He took a deep breath, readying himself for a snide remark. It never came. The Fashionista walked right past him and to the table behind him; Himiko scooted away from it and retreated to Tenko's side. Junko grabbed a sandwich and a can of cola. She leant against the table and stared vacantly into the party as she chewed. Conversation resumed but the wariness was still present.

''This is the type of situation where she should be kept on a leash.'' Byakuya said from behind him. He pushed his glasses up and smoothed his sleeves. ''Allowing her out of her room and to socialise has done nothing for her 'rehabilitation.' And it certainly hasn't made her any less dangerous.'' ''I would have to agree.'' Kyoko added as she completed the trio. The three stood side by side, eyes forward facing Junko. ''Letting her out has made her less despairful, I think.'' Makoto glanced at his friends, but both kept her gaze straight. Byakuya sighed. ''That is most likely an act. We are dealing with an Ultimate Analyst and a super intelligent deviant. I'd have hoped that the fools we entrusted to lock her up would be incapable of sympathy for someone who orchestrated the deaths of their friends.'' He rubbed his temples. ''Clearly I was wrong.'' That was a fair point. Were the 77th Class so forgiving? Or were they simply unaware, bar Hajime? ''Regardless, it'd be sensible to stop her doing anything stupid. Especially interacting with the people downstairs. She'd likely try and goad them into violence.'' Kyoko responded. Both his friends looked at him expectantly. ''I suppose that's my cue then.'' He hopped up and down before starting in the Mastermind's direction. ''If only he wasn't the only one she truly trusted.'' The Heir finally looked down at his Detective companion. ''Even that is only because he's trying his hardest to return that trust.'' She squinted as Makoto greeted her competition. ''I don't like the way she attempts to bounce off the things he says.'' ''Or that she's trying to steal your significant other.'' Byakuya said with a smirk. ''Maybe you should've been the Detective, Byakuya.'' Byakuya chuckled. ''Maybe. But I'm busy being the heir of _nothing_.''

The following 2 hours were full of muted joy. The three classes simply got to know each other better. Ibuki and Kaede told some stories about the band they had formed in their last few months at the academy. Apparently Makoto was banned from entering their practice room due to his luck breaking half the instruments in the room. He wished he could remember his school life, even if he could only recall pieces. Stories about his own class were strange. The versions of classmates like Mondo and Chihiro his underclassmen described were practically alien in comparison to those he'd encountered in the Killing Game. Aoi was always happy to speak about Sakura, however. And he'd be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying learning about the multi-class athletics events he'd failed in. Angie and Korekiyo had shown off some art pieces they'd made together based on old folklore books. If the anatomy was anything to go by, the portrait she'd draw of him would seem like more of a Picasso than a Da Vinci. Miu showcased some inventions, though most seemed like a waste of parts considering the purpose of them. Underwear Teleporter? Why was that useful other than to annoy Shuichi? Himiko performed some sleight of hand magic for them that sadly ended in the loss of an entire deck of cards. Gonta showed them his collection of insects in amber. Hiro was obviously not a fan as he tried to avert his gaze whenever the goliath of a boy began explaining the intricacies of bugs.

At some point someone (likely Ibuki, knowing her) had suggested re-assembling the table and cooking a feast for the group. Kirumi had asked for 3 helpers in the kitchen. Makoto, Mahiru and Rantaro had volunteered. The Ultimate Maid led them to the massive kitchen on the first floor. They cut through the cafeteria; this was clearly where most people in the community sent their free time. They all had specific jobs to do around the hospital, though he would guess that most would be working in their gardens or general repairs. He was recognised and praised by quite a few people as he walked through. He just responded with some mumbled 'thanks' and kept a grin on his face. Part of him hated the attention but he was grateful that these men and women weren't as violent as the two who had attacked Junko earlier.

The quartet entered the kitchen and looked upon its shiny splendor. The utensils, silverware and plates were spotless as they lined the shelves and countertops. ''Here for a meal, Kirumi?'' A middle aged man said as he stirred a pot. ''No thank you, . We are actually here to prepare our own meal. May we use the facilities?'' Sugimoto removed his white chef's hat and beamed at the four of them. ''Of course you can! I've just finished with the last of the meals for the people out there anyway.'' He thumbed behind him over the serving counter to the mass of people eating in the cafeteria. Kirumi nodded and opened a cupboard and began taking canned food down. ''Rantaro, would you mind assisting me in finding foods with the nearest expiration date?'' The Adventurer didn't need a second invitation. ''What kind of guy would I be to say no?'' He said with a chuckle. ''Makoto, Mahiru. Would you be so kind to peel some potatoes?'' ''Oh, sure. What are we making though?'' The redhead asked. ''I was thinking of a tofu casserole. We have a lot of tofu and few other meal alternatives.'' The Photographer giggled and patted Makoto's shoulder. ''Come on.''

After washing some of the potatoes grown in the garden, the two got to work. Although, Mahiru was moving at twice the speed he was. ''You're good at this, Mahiru. Did you do a lot of cooking before all this?'' She stopped mid-peel to look at him. ''Well I did do quite a bit before I enrolled at Hope's Peak. My Mom was usually abroad for her photography and my Dad was super lazy so I did most of the work around the house.'' She resumed and hardened her expression. ''Is your Mom a good photographer?'' She smiled at the question. ''Definitely. Much better than I am.'' Despite her self-deprecation, she smiled warmly. ''And your Dad?'' Her face quivered slightly. ''He wasn't too great at a lot of stuff. I was super worried when I left for Hope's Peak because I didn't think he could function without me at home.'' Her eyelids drooped and she placed the peeler down. ''I feel horrible for not being worried anymore.'' She said sadly. Makoto winced. ''I'm sorry. It's difficult not to bring up the past.'' Mahiru perked up and gave him a small smile. ''It's okay. We're both in the same boat.'' She placed her last potato down. He was only about halfway done. ''You want me to finish that?'' She asked with a raised brow. ''It's difficult to speak and do this at the same time.'' He mumbled, embarrassed by his slow work. ''Oh yeah, because you were moving lightning fast before that?'' Mahiru asked sarcastically. He winced again. ''Hey, I'm just kidding. Take your time, huh?'' He looked up and nodded a single time. He then went straight back to peeling.

''Y'know, you're a lot like Hajime.'' They both laughed at that. ''You think?'' He acknowledged, trying his hardest to concentrate on the potatoes. ''Think about it. Brown hair with an antennae, optimistic, courageous, handsome, reliable.'' Mahiru counted each attribute on her fingers as she listed them. ''You think I'm 'reliable?''' He placed down his last spud. ''Well yeah.'' Mahiru picked up a knife and began dicing her pile. He mimicked her. ''At the very least, you're trustworthy and easy to speak to. That's at least halfway to being a reliable person. And boys should be reliable, right?'' ''There's something about you holding a knife while you say that that makes it seem like a threat.'' He increased his chopping speed. She pivoted her head and gave him a quizzical look. ''I'm not _that_ scary, am I?'' He held his hands up in denial. ''No, no, no! I was joking, promise!'' She breathed a sigh of relief. ''Good, because if I was scary to you, that'd definitely make Hajime a teensy bit intimidated.''

The Lucky Student thought for a moment. ''You sure do speak about Hajime a lot.'' She blushed wildly. ''I'm not that obvious am I?'' He didn't credit the question with a response. She bit her lip. ''Ugh, I am!'' She exclaimed. ''I really, really like Hajime. A lot. He's wonderful. All the things he's done for us: naming his own child after my best friend, saving our lives, taking us all in, feeding us. Most importantly, he's kind; he actually cares about all of us.'' She had a look of pure resolve and determination. He was surprised by her boldness in just telling him. ''But you know you can't do anything because-'' ''Because he's married. _I know._ On top of the fact I'd feel awful for betraying Chiaki like that.'' She rubbed her right forearm with her free left hand. ''And I don't want to ruin our group dynamic with my selfishness. Not after all we've been through.'' She sighed and placed the knife down. ''I think you should tell him how you feel.'' He placed his down too. ''Really?!'' She was taken aback. ''If it's eating away at you like this, then you should just get it out there. The worst that can happen is if what you already think _will happen.''_ The Photographer seemed pensive. ''What makes you the expert on this?'' She placed her hands on her hips and leaned in with a disgruntled expression. ''I told Kyoko I was in love with her during a game where either of us could've been killed at any moment. I have a little bit of experience, I guess.'' He rubbed the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. Mahiru's face softened. ''My thinking was that it was better to make my feelings known in case the worst happened. And it almost did.'' ''I saw. Not that I could exactly feel envious when you're forced into killing your friends.'' She looked down at her feet. She mulled it over. It felt like she was considering her options for an eternity. ''Okay. I'll try and work up the courage. Don't expect anything, though. A plain girl like me isn't exactly an attention grabber.'' She tilted the chopping board and their diced goods fell into a small tub. ''Let's go check on the broth.''

Kirumi had worked fast; it seemed that when she was given a task she worked 10x more efficiently than just performing her everyday duties. And considering her work ethic was already immaculate during those duties, this was a sight to behold. Her hands found their targets with pinpoint accuracy, slicing tofu and placing vegetables in pans simultaneously. Rantaro simply stirred the broth but occasionally let his eyes slip away to appreciate the Maid's hard work. Makoto and Mahiru took advantage of the time to make two enormous spinach, broccoli and cheese souffles, though the end product of his was slightly misshapen due to the size of the container they'd used. Makoto hoped he hadn't messed it up so badly it was inedible. Between his unpredictable luck and his hazy memory of learning the recipe, he could be expecting the Body Discovery Announcement upon tasting it.

The two amateur cooks were assured they could return upstairs to help set the table. Carrying 2 rather enormous piles of bowls in their arms, the two climbed the two flights of stairs with bated breath. Thankfully Kaito, who was just exiting the boy's bathroom on the 2nd floor, lightened the load and carried half up the next flight.

Kaede and Gonta took the last of the bowls from them to set the large table which had been covered in a baby blue tablecloth and had knives and forks strewn across it in their absence. It had been laid out across the room so that he could walk right through the doors and into a seat at the centre of the table. Makoto took his place between Kyoko and Byakuya at the middle of the table. ''You smell like spinach.'' The Detective said as she wrinkled her nose. ''I made a vegetable souffle.'' He boasted as he turned to face her. ''It doesn't smell… bad, does it?'' She blew air out of her nose in amusement as she smirked. ''No. And I'm interested to taste your cooking.'' ''As am I.'' Byakuya said. Toko and Komaru were in detailed discussion to his left about the purpose of manga being called 'literature.' ''O-Oh, well I hope I don't disappoint either of you.'' His own girlfriend judging his cooking was one thing, but a man who'd likely never had a below par meal in his life was another.

He heard a rattling and turned to see Kirumi, followed closely by Rantaro, pushing a cart with the enormous vat of casserole on it. The two souffles were on the lower shelf of the and Byakuya seemed startled by the lumpy top of his. Gonta shot to his feet and placed the vat on the table on Kirumi's behalf. ''Thank you very much, Gonta.'' She gave the gigantic boy a small curtsy. ''Gonta would not be gentleman if he did not help.'' He beamed and took his seat. Kirumi and Kaede served the casserole to everyone. He counted each bowl served and had a nagging feeling they'd missed someone. Junko! Where had she sat? He quickly glanced around. He found her sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. She had a bowl and a spoon in hand but was simply staring at her food. He pulled his eyes away and focused on his own bowl.

A good ten minutes later and everyone had finished and, by the looks of it, were satisfied by the meal. The table had come to life, people chatting loudly in their own small groups. Mahiru, who sat between Hajime and Ibuki, met his eyes with hers. He thumbed to the cart behind him and she nodded. He and the Photographer took their souffles back to their seats and placed it in front of them. ''Well, it's certainly… cooked.'' The Ultimate Affluent Progeny said as he picked up his spoon. Kyoko did the same. They both plunged into the food and took a spoonful. He saw Hajime, Chiaki and Ibuki all do the same for Mahiru's on the other side of the table. Kyoko had no hesitations and placed the spoon in her mouth. Byakuya seemed to study the colour before he did. Now was the moment of truth. Kyoko's face displayed no change in emotion but Byakuya's brows raised in what seemed like pleasant surprise. ''Why didn't you ever try your hand at cooking before?'' He asked. ''I have to agree, Makoto. That had quite the flavour.'' Kyoko stared deep into his eyes as she spoke. That signalled sincerity. ''Aw man, really?'' He laughed. ''Thanks, guys.'' He took the rest of the pot as he stood and offered it out to Hiro, Toko, Komaru and the Asahina's. They all seemed to find it tasty at least. That took a weight off his shoulders, for sure. He quickly gave Mahiru a look. She was beaming brightly as Chiaki fed Hiyoko a small amount of her souffle. She looked up at him and gave him a thumbs up. It was also a relief he hadn't taught Mahiru incorrectly.

He took the pot over to Junko and crouched down. He held it at arm's length and she gazed up, her face still forlorn. ''Did you make that?'' She croaked out. He bobbed his head a single time. The Fashionista stuck her spoon into the pot and scooped a portion. She ate it quickly, but her lips did curve upwards into a neutral smile. ''Meh, not bad. Better than what hamburger hands could cook anyway.'' His smile, which had been transfixed on his face for what felt like hours, finally fell away. He stood and turned. Junko grabbed the back of his jeans. He spun on his heels and crouched again. ''Did you make this too?'' She placed the casserole in her lap. The bowl was lukewarm now. ''Well, I, uh, I helped.'' He shrugged. She quickly looked back to the bowl and then back to him. She took a spoonful of the mixture and slurped it. She never lost eye contact between them as she swallowed. ''Well okay then. Looks like it isn't punishment time just yet.'' She grinned at him. To say it made him uncomfortable would be an understatement. Again, it was the most deranged face she could have possibly made. Did she think someone had poisoned her portion? He'd like to imagine that was impossible. But there were certainly many amongst them who would. And if that was the case, had she eaten in front of him just to ensure he would see her die? He didn't want to think about it. He stood again and walked back to his seat. He didn't want to look back.

He wasn't questioned upon his return to his place at the table. And he was glad for it. The familial feeling of the room was too perfect to be ruined by Junko. Kaede called Hajime over to her and stood on her tip-toes to whisper in his ear. Hajime nodded as she spoke in affirmation. Suddenly, both the Pianist and the Prodigy turned to face him. The two walked over and Hajime placed a hand on his shoulder. ''May we speak to you for a moment, Makoto?'' Kaede asked as she clicked her heels together. ''Oh, uh, sure.'' He shuffled around in his seat. ''I'll be back in a minute, guys.'' Byakuya nodded with a stern expression. Kyoko remained silent.

Kaede led the boys into the waiting room. ''Okay.'' She began. ''It's safe to say that we speak for our classes, yeah?'' She got no reply so marked her question off as rhetorical. ''What's your thoughts on Enoshima's punishment?'' Hajime sighed. ''I knew your class would want this the most.'' Kaede crossed her arms but stayed silent. ''Personally, killing her isn't my preference. We gain nothing from killing her at this point. If we were to do it, we should've done it as soon as they left the Academy.'' He motioned to Makoto with a tilt of the head. Kaede huffed, but he was unsure if the audible frustration was due to Hajime's choice or his tone of voice. ''What about you, Makoto?'' She looked to him expectantly. ''I... '' He hesitated. ''Of course I want nothing more than for her to be out of the picture. But if you saw the Killing Game you'll know that I try to find the good in everyone. And I really believe that she can change. I really do.'' Kaede looked unsatisfied. ''So you're just going to leave her unchecked? Let her do what she wants?'' ''We haven't so far.'' Hajime came to his aid. ''You forget that I have Ultimate Intellect and skills in both prediction and preservation. Besides, it's easy to keep tabs on someone who's always in front of you.'' Well, that was a very bold lie. They certainly hadn't kept tabs on her when she'd escaped to the radio tower before. Kaede huffed again, softer. ''Fine.'' She then took a step forward and jabbed Hajime in the chest with her index finger. ''But if you fail and she comes here and hurts any of _my_ people, I will make sure you know what our class can do. And that will not end well for your family, will it?''

She bit her lip before dropping her hand. ''Sorry. I don't know how to get what I want without threats or begging anymore. I was never this angry before all this happened.'' Makoto clicked his tongue. ''I'm pretty sure we've all matured, in one way or another. And you're younger than us. So maybe it's your time.'' She smiled. ''Maybe.'' ''Say, we haven't had a therapy session in a long time. In fact, I don't think I've had a session with any of you since the end of the Killing Game.'' Hajime pondered. ''Why don't we do some next week?'' Makoto asked, to both of their surprise. ''Angie wants me to model for a painting soon, too. Me, you and Kyoko could just come along next week.'' Kaede and Hajime glanced at each other, a silent conversation taking place. ''I'm free.'' ''So are we.'' Makoto felt his cheeks twinge as he smiled. ''Great! I'm already looking forward to it!'' The pair across from him smiled too, as if it was contagious.

''Okay, everyone!'' Hajime said above the general murmur as they re-entered the room. ''Sunset's in about 45 and we don't want to be outside when it's dark. So get your things together.'' ''Wait, wait, wait!'' Mahiru said hurriedly. ''We have to take a photo!'' She exclaimed excitedly as she gripped the camera hanging around her neck. Hajime smiled. ''Okay then.'' He said with a wide grin.

Mahiru ran to her bag and pulled out a foldable tripod. She placed the camera on it and stood it on one side of the table. ''Okay, tall people at the back, that means you, Gonta.'' She said as she directed with her hands. ''Kaito, you are not pulling that face or I'll punch you.'' Makoto could hear Maki say as he took his place at the front. ''Ooh ooh, what kind of pose should Ibuki do?!'' The Musician asked Chiaki, who was lifting Hiyoko out of her high chair. ''A normal one should be fine, I think.'' The Gamer replied with a tired smile. Chiaki stood next to him and gently cradled her baby. Hajime stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He felt slender figures around his shoulders too. Kyoko wasn't expressing any amusement but he knew she was getting a kick out of reinforcing the fact he was short. Regardless, he embraced her presence and smiled wide towards the camera. ''Okay, smile!'' The redhead said. ''Wait, Mahiru.'' Hajime stopped her. ''Are you not being a part of this?'' She looked torn between speaking or just taking the picture. Hajime shuffled Ibuki along to his left and motioned at a newly free spot. Mahiru beamed and nodded. ''Okay then.'' She set a 10 second timer and rushed into position. ''Smile, everyone!'' She said just milliseconds before the snap of the camera. The tension was immediately relieved with a group-wide sigh and break of formation. ''Get your things together everyone.'' Chiaki said as she began strapping her child carrier to herself. ''Want me to carry her 'til we get outside?'' Hajime swept Chiaki's bangs along her forehead. ''No it's fine. And besides, I need to step up just as much as you are. I can't afford to spend all my time on my handheld or in a game world. We've almost got a game over too many times now.'' Her husband seemed concerned with her phrasing but didn't push for an explanation. He stood still as she pecked his cheek and once again took Hiyoko out of the high chair.

Hina clearly didn't want to be seperated from Yuta. But she did eventually realise that there wasn't a place for her here yet. They hugged for a long time on the steps by the entrance. Komaru wrapped an arm around her brother and soon to be ''sister-in-law'' as she said. Kyoko seemed to like her.

The bus roared to life and rumbled in the parking lot. Fuyuhiko drove past in the people carrier as Makoto and his class boarded. ''Yoohooooo!'' Angie called as she jogged over to him. ''You will be my model next week, yes?'' He nodded. ''Good, Atua cannot wait to meet my canvas! Bring Kyoko too, hmm?'' She turned and ran even faster back to the hospital's front door. ''What-'' ''Ahh!'' He yelped. ''How long have you been standing behind me?'' He clutched his chest and allowed Kyoko to smile cockily. ''It isn't my fault that you don't listen to your surroundings.'' She boarded and he followed. The doors closed behind him and Hajime wasted no time K-turning. The crowd of students on the steps all waved as the bus took off down the gravel past and through the gates at the end. Makoto sat down next to Kyoko. ''So, what type of modelling are we doing? The type with clothes, I would hope.'' He laughed nervously. ''I think so?'' He laughed again. The lavender-haired girl sighed. ''You really should've asked. What kind of future partner will you be if you can't even ask a suspect questions?'' She mused with mirth. She rested her head against his shoulder, where it remained for the entirety of the journey back.

 **Hello again. Thank you very much for reading. Again, to the group of people who actually gave a damn about this story, I say again: I'm sorry for taking so long.**

 **It really doesn't help that I am basically making most of this up as I go along, which may be evident from the story and the overall plot. I am** _ **especially**_ **finding it difficult to remember my own timeline at this point. I have a vague outline with several key events sprinkled in along the way, but I don't even have a significant conclusion in mind at this point (not that the ending is in sight).**

 **Oh, before I forget. I have another two or so chapters in mind before the next big event when we get back to the hospital. If there are any characters that people want to see explored in a bit more detail (how the apocalypse has shaped them, how they've formed closer relationships with others etc.) leave a review or send me a PM. I've at least thought that far ahead story-wise. Alternatively, my Discord is Wardsley#0816 if you'd prefer to message me there.**

 **See you later people.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello again. I took the responses from the last chapter as a sign that people didn't really have too much of a preference for the characters I explored. So I've decided to continue where we left off with some little side plots I put in place earlier. A lot earlier. Oh, and I'll be trying to do some smoother scene transitions from now on. I realise that my writing style is annoying to read because of how FanFic displays paragraphs. Sorry for that. I tried to and will continue to try to space out paragraphs as I did last chapter. I hope this makes the story a fair bit easier to read. Thank you, everyone!**

Jum-P was squeaking in anticipation in his hand. Ibuki usually visited him around this time. And that meant some treats for the Devas. Though he feared they would be receiving less and less as the seasons changed. Though Hajime was not one to worry others, he couldn't hide that their supplies would begin to dwindle soon. His claims of a decade's worth of food and water was a clear bluff. But to their underclassmen, the thought was relieving. Perhaps the Detective had already used her Phantom Third Eye to see through his deception. Their move would have to occur within a few months too. Would the hospital's inhabitants be alright if they were to migrate west? If Nekomaru truly had fallen into despair, would the likes of the Assassin and the Entomologist be enough to stop him? Even during spars in which they had both held back Nekomaru was a significant physical threat. He closed his eyes and placed his hands on his knees again. He steadied his breathing. Thinking of the past was a guarantee to be visited by the spectres that haunted him so aggressively. As long as he kept his mind on the present, his Devas and Ibuki, he could remain strong enough to overcome them. With shaky hands, he traced the chalk outline of his prayer circle. Maga-Z sensed his master's tenseness and nipped at his earlobe in an attempt to provide comfort. A silent gesture. A helpful gesture.

Stomping footsteps and the clanging of the metal staircase reached his ears and he allowed himself to slump forwards in relaxation. She was only 15 minutes late, but to him it seemed like an eternity. The door to the tower's control room creaked open and he recognised the same bounding steps sprint across the carpeted floor to him. How she ran so fast in flip-flops was a mystery. A pair of slender arms slinked around his chest and a chin rested on his shoulder. ''Sorry I'm late. Chiaki needed me to watch Hiyoko while she helped Mahiru finish dinner.'' He smirked. ''I was beginning to think you'd forgotten your master's teachings on teleportation magic.'' He said with an air of sarcasm. She sighed in content before pulling away and reaching into her handbag. The Rocker's hand emerged with a large bottle of champagne. ''You've still got those glasses from last time, don't you?'' She asked as she placed the bottle on his chabudai and crawled on all fours to his cabinets. ''What are we celebrating with such a powerful concoction?'' He studied the contents of the bottle's label. Ibuki spun and sat on her rear, a glass in each hand and an eager grin on her face. ''Managing not to kill someone yesterday, duh.''

''And that's how I ended up eating that entire pie! Hahahahaha!'' Ibuki fell back onto the cushions behind her in uproarious laughter. Gundham's face was red from laughing at her band stories, trying and failing to suppress chuckles. Ibuki thrust upwards and grabbed the half-full bottle. She began pouring her fourth glass of the early evening. He himself was only halfway through his second. She smiled warmly at him as she did so. It would've been cute, if she weren't missing the glass every so often as her hand swayed. He stretched over the low table and gripped her wrist to steady her. She gasped. ''So forward of you Gundham, you deviant!'' She said jokingly. ''I haven't dealt with someone so forward since the warehouse!'' She almost yelled.

Gundham's eyes widened in horror. Had she really made a joke about her own… assault, like that? She stared back at him, wincing. ''Sorry, that was… that was-'' Her face fell. ''I don't know how to fully get over it.'' He understood all too well. ''It seems that reminiscing is only a pathway to battles with our own demons for us damned souls.''

He grabbed the bottle and forced the cork into the top as well as he could. ''Perhaps this potion was a mistake, once more. It seems to only awaken the beasts that bore within our minds.'' She nodded as she sniffled. ''Maybe I should go.'' He rolled the bottle away from them and raised his head to look at her. He felt all the air in his lungs whistle out his mouth and nose. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he froze in fear as a cold sweat settled on his brow. ''Gun-Gun?'' Ibuki tilted her head. He didn't respond. The Musician realised he was looking past her. She turned and saw nothing. That could only mean one thing.

''Who can you see?'' She asked softly. ''S-Sonia.'' He gulped. The Princess stood directly behind Ibuki. She wore her uniform; immaculate and perfect as her clothing was, her face drew his attention. The smile she has worn upon her death was warped into a hideous grin that stretched her cheeks into appearing like a caricature. Her eyes were devoid of life, helped partially by a lack of pupils and in other parts by a twitch in her left eye. She was silent, she always was, but this time seemed to display more emotion on her other features. When she did appear, usually roughly a few weeks after her last appearance, her face never faltered in remaining transfixed in it's demonic and foreboding grin. But now her brows seemed to fall and her lips quivered in a way that suggested she was sad or upset.

Ibuki's face suddenly filled his vision. Pink orbs met his heterochromatic ones. ''Look at me Gundham, not her.'' She placed his cheeks in her palms and straightened his head to restrict its movement. They were millimetres apart. ''Just- Just look at me.'' She said barely above a whisper as she leaned forward and clashed her lips against his.

He had never experienced such a sensation before. It wasn't an unpleasant one, if anything he welcomed it. He was simply paranoid when he considered that Sonia was observing. Would this anger her astral form further? He tilted his head so that Ibuki's turned with him. Her eyes were closed in what he assumed was embarrassment at having to go to such lengths to protect him. He would beg for forgiveness when Sonia was gone.

The regal ghost came into view. Visible tears streamed down her face and her grin had been replaced with the forlorn expression Sonia had when she felt homesick. He had seen it enough during their time at the Academy to know. She held a sharp piece of glass with both hands. She held both arms above her head and readied to plunge the blade into her abdomen. She craned her neck to meet his gaze and swung her arms down. Before contact could be made, Ibuki pulled away from him, obscuring his view. A string of saliva was all that connected the two now, though it quickly broke as Ibuki spoke. ''I'm staying here tonight, okay? I don't want this feeling to end.'' She spoke softly but made no attempt to hide the affection in her voice. Or the blush on her cheeks. ''And I would be a fool not to allow you.'' He returned, deep lying joy bubbling up at the realisation that she was still trying to protect him. She gripped his hand and she rubbed circles into the back of it with her thumb. ''I just need to grab some stuff from my room.'' She stood sharply, his hand already losing the lingering warmth she provided. She grabbed her bag and briefly looked inside. ''I'll be real quick, promise. And when I get back, we can par- _tay!''_ She rushed out of the room and down the stairs.

His Devas lined up in front of him on the table. They had finished their treats almost instantaneously and laid under the chabudai until now. He let his eyes shift to where the apparition had stood. His curiosity got the better of him and he pushed himself to his feet. He was still shaking slightly as he gradually walked to the spot. He cast his eyes down. There, surrounded by a heart drawn from blood, lay a shard of glass.

[][][][][]The Shelter[][][][][]

Mahiru was sitting in her room sorting through photos when Peko strode in and sat on Ibuki's bed opposite her. ''Hello.'' Her crimson eyes darted around the room before settling on the pictures in the Photographer's lap. ''Hi Peko. What do you need?'' Peko's steely expression broke to allow for a small smile. ''I'm afraid I am here to help _you.''_ The redhead raised a brow. ''Have you forgotten? Our names are on the rota.'' Mahiru clicked her fingers. ''Ah, locking up the farm. It is getting dark, I suppose.'' She straightened the pile of photos. ''May I see those?'' The Swordswoman asked. Mahiru passed them over and Peko began flicking through them. ''I don't like that you're still on the rota. You're pregnant. Surely someone else can do it. Especially Hajime; even if he didn't have all those powers, he's still a boy.'' She hesitated. ''I guess he can't do everything himself.''

''No, he's fully capable of doing everything alone.'' Peko offered, continuing to study the pictures. ''He gives us tasks to keep us sharp. And to value ourselves more as part of the group.'' She stopped at the largest picture of the batch and her lips curled upwards. ''I don't remember this.'' She spun it around and pointed. ''Judging by Hiyoko's height, this was our first year. I have no recollection of this.'' She turned the picture back around again, paying closer attention to faces and uniforms. Mahiru watched on in perplexed amusement. ''It is strange.'' Peko didn't look up as she mused. ''When I look over these photos, I am somewhat thankful that so many of us were allowed to die before we reached this point.''

Mahiru spluttered in disgust. ''W-What?!'' Peko's head finally rose. ''How can you say that?'' Mahiru's face was as red as her hair. ''None of us deserved to die for being good at something, or for-'' ''Stop.'' Peko remained composed. ''I was not suggesting that and you know that.'' Once again, Peko spun the picture.

''Hiyoko, Kazuichi, Sonia, Mitarai, Teruteru, Mikan, Nagito.'' Mahiru waited for her point. ''Dead.'' Peko's index finger shifted to Nekomaru and Akane. ''Missing.'' Peko placed the photo back into the pile and placed the pile on Mahiru's nightstand. ''I only meant that I believe that they would rather be in a better place than living in a world like this one.'' Mahiru was gradually calming down; her cheeks were now a soft pink. ''I-I wouldn't know. But I know _I_ would rather live in a world where they were still with us.'' Peko nodded. ''Agreed. Life would be easier with their talents at our disposal.''

The Photographer looked at her quizzically. ''You don't think we'd enjoy it here more with them around?'' Peko took off her glasses. She took a cloth from her blouse pocket and gently cleaned the lenses. ''I am indifferent. Even when we would partake in activities as a class, I felt alienated. Whether that was due to my lack of emotion or intimidating nature, I am unsure.'' Mahiru shuffled uncomfortably. ''In a way, these tragic events have positively impacted my relationships with you all. I now feel as if I am truly one of you, as opposed to an observer.'' The cloth had been placed back into her pocket. She pushed the glasses up her nose. Having such a strong poker face made it impossible to decipher if recalling their time at Hope's Peak was upsetting to her.

''I'm sorry that I never noticed.'' It wasn't much but it was sincere. Peko stood slowly. ''Think nothing of it. I simply wanted to get that off my chest.'' Her opposite number stood too. ''Want to get going then?'' The quieter woman started for the door, only for it to burst open.

''Mahiru! Good, you're here!'' Ibuki leapt to her bed and grabbed a pillow. She threw her bag onto her bed and began shoving the pillow, as well as seemingly random items, inside. ''Where are you going?'' Ibuki spun with a massive grin. ''Gundham's. We're having a rockin' sleepover!'' Peko leant against the door. ''You have never stayed there before. Why this sudden change?'' Ibuki zipped up the small bag and stood it up. ''Oh please, a lady never _kisses_ and tells!'' She said with a wink. ''Let everyone know I'll be there tonight. Ooh! I need snacks!'' She dashed out of the room and ran to the kitchen, bag swinging wildly on her shoulder.

''Am I the odd one out now?'' Mahiru thought aloud with a sigh. ''Why don't you just tell Hajime?'' Peko asked in confusion. Mahiru turned beet red and her eyes felt like they'd pop out of her head. ''Wha-WHO… How do you know about that?!'' Peko, again, seemed confused. ''You don't exactly hide it. It's incredibly apparent you harbour feelings for him.'' Mahiru felt weak. She fell back onto her bed and placed her head in her hands. If Peko knew, Hajime did, without a doubt. ''I take it that my knowledge is shocking to you.'' Mahiru sighed again, deeper and with more frustration behind it. ''Let's just go lock up. I'll tell you on the way.'' Peko smiled as she walked behind her friend. She was right about the sense of belonging.

 **A short one, I know. I'll start writing the next one as soon as I publish this to make up for it, I promise. I think we'll focus on Chiaki next. Maybe Junko. I haven't really explored Junko in detail yet so it'll be a challenge to grasp her character accurately but I'll try. (You'd think I'd know these characters better after 6 years of being a fan of Danganronpa, but y'know)**

 **Hope to see you in the next one. Bye bye!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hi again. I decided to go for another 2 parter here. Chiaki and Junko are both characters in need of some attention. Especially in terms of knowing their motivations and goals. Hopefully you enjoy it.**

With Hiyoko sleeping soundly in the room she shared with her husband, Chiaki finally had time to herself. Luckily for her, no one else seemed to want the TV at the moment. It was very late, after all. She booted up the N64 to the left of the 50-inch screen. It was still warm to the touch; maybe Hiro had been playing Conker's Bad Fur Day again. He seemed to like the childish humour just a bit _too_ much. Normally Ibuki would be up trying to beat the hardest songs on Guitar Hero about now, but she was apparently staying with Gundham for the night. Other than Kyoko sitting at the kitchen counter, she was alone. She glanced at the Detective.

''Mystery novel?'' Chiaki asked as she wandered over. Kyoko's head moved 90 degrees to face her. ''Yes, though I already have a good idea who the culprit is.'' Chiaki arched her back to get a good look at the book. She was only roughly 100 pages in and the book still had at least three quarters left to read. ''Already?'' The Gamer asked as she pulled out the stool next to her. The Detective nodded as she stirred the mug of coffee in front of her. ''Then why are you still reading? Doesn't it ruin the whole 'mystery' part?'' Kyoko took a long sip before allowing the book to close, leaving her thumb to keep her page for later. ''My logic could be flawed. It's been so long since I investigated a crime that wasn't related to my classmates.'' She tucked her lilac hair behind her ear and stared at Chiaki. It wasn't a hostile look, but she seemed to be studying her features. Purple orbs met pale pink as their eyes met. Kyoko squinted. She didn't lose eye contact, however.

''We're quite similar, aren't we?'' Chiaki asked as she broke the silence. ''Pale complexion, similar eye colours, light hair, often tired.'' Kyoko listed. ''I fail to see any other shared features.'' Chiaki pulled her hand out of her sleeve and grabbed Kyoko's wrist gently. ''One more.'' Kyoko remained stoic. ''We're both seeing boys with pointy hair.'' The older girl placed her free palm atop her head and raised a single finger to mimic their signature hairstyles. Kyoko smiled wide. Chiaki giggled as she withdrew her hand and placed it over her heart.

They sat together for 15 minutes in a happy quiet, which was occasionally broken by explosions from the game on Chiaki's handheld. ''Hey, Kyoko?'' The Sleuth hummed. ''Do you think that you and Makoto would still be as happy if you had a baby?'' Kyoko leaned back in surprise. ''Well that was very out of the blue.'' Though she couldn't blame the former Class Rep. Having a child likely changed her life in more ways that she had expected. ''I can't say that I ever paid it much thought. Other than how Makoto would react if I were to tell him.'' She admitted, much to Chiaki's disappointment. ''Where is this coming from?'' Kyoko closed her book and spun in her seat to give her upperclassman her full attention.

''Can I tell you a secret?'' Chiaki shook slightly. That was never a good sign. Kyoko craned her neck in hesitation. ''Of course.'' She held out an open hand, which Chiaki graciously accepted, squeezing tightly. ''If I told you Izuru's original plans for this place, would you judge Hajime for it?'' She couldn't bring herself to look at Kyoko's face, much less look her in the eye. ''They're different people, Chiaki. So, no.'' The Gamer gulped. ''Well, none of you are supposed to be here.'' Kyoko's eyes darted left to right. ''I thought that was obvious, this place was made for _your_ class.'' Chiaki shook her head vehemently. ''No. No, that's not it…'' She was shaking harder now. ''No one is supposed to be here. Not even my class.''

Kyoko straightened her back. ''M-My class were supposed to die that day. The day we were attacked, I mean.'' Tears were slowly trickling from her eyes as she spoke. ''How so?'' Kyoko hadn't much time before Chiaki became so upset she couldn't speak anymore. As much as she wanted to wrap her arms around her and comfort her, she had to prod further. ''He only wanted to save me. He didn't want a-any of the others…'' Chiaki raised her head, tears now changing course and trailing down to her chin. She pointed to the row of bedrooms on the opposite side of the room. ''Those rooms, they-'' Her head fell again. ''They what?'' Kyoko held the other girl's chin and raised her head; not forcefully but strong enough to stop it drooping down again. ''They-They're not for 'outsiders.' They're for mine and Izuru's _children.''_

Kyoko felt a chill run up her spine. He was simply planning on breeding her? She pulled a handkerchief from her jacket pocket and offered it to the crying girl. She was unresponsive. Kyoko began to wipe her tears away on her behalf, as Chiaki scooted her stool closer and gripped the hem of Kyoko's skirt. ''He planned it all for me. The amount of rooms is *sniffle* based on how many babies he predicted I could have. All the clothes are in my size. All the shoes. All the games are for me.'' Kyoko began dabbing at Chiaki's eyes. ''And the worst part is…'' Kyoko perked up. ''The supplies were only made for him and I to live for a decade. Not 14 of us. Not even the original 7 before yo-you arrived.'' Her grip tightened on Kyoko's skirt. ''We're going to run out of food. Very soon. The farm isn't yielding enough.''

Kyoko's hands kept moving rhythmically across Chiaki's face, catching and drying tears before they could fall below her nose. However, her eyes stared vacantly at the older girl's hands desperately grabbing at her. She'd heard enough. She stood sharply. Chiaki began clawing for something material in front of her. Kyoko grabbed the back of her head and thrust her face into her chest. Kyoko wrapped her left arm around her back and rubbed circles into it in an attempt at reassurance. It was an awkward hug; Chiaki was still sitting and was wobbling back and forth. ''He- Izuru, he- he-'' ''Shhhhhhh…'' Kyoko quieted her. ''I know, I know. We'll make sure he can't ever do that again.'' Chiaki squealed in a mixture of rage and fear. The two stayed in a steadying, calming embrace for some time.

The grate above them opened with a loud metallic clanging. Hajime slid down, whistling. He planted his feet at the bottom and slowly looked around. He spotted them and his face warped in concern. ''Chiaki?'' He jogged to them. He hunched slightly and placed a hand on her shoulder. ''Chiaki?!'' His wife didn't respond. He kept his eyes trained on her. ''What happened?'' He asked Kyoko. The Detective considered her options. Tell him what you've learned and become an enemy to Izuru, or let it go and leave Chiaki to his care. She sighed. ''Hajime.'' The tall boy looked up. ''We need to talk.'' Hajime stood up straight. ''Oh, well-'' ''Not tonight.'' Kyoko interrupted. ''Tomorrow. And I want everyone here for it.'' Chiaki stood up on trembling legs. Kyoko slowly relinquished her grip on her and took a step back. ''Make sure she sleeps well. She's had a rough night.'' Hajime seemed to want to question them further. He chose not to and nodded before leading Chiaki away to their room. Kyoko stood motionless for a handful of seconds before returning to Makoto in their own room.

[][][][][][][][][][]

She balled up another piece of paper. She never was a fantastic artist. It didn't help that trying to draw his face from memory wasn't easy, even with her near photographic memory. It was his eyes she struggled with most. Were they olive or just a light brown? She struggled to decide what would look nicer on paper. Even if she did draw him as perfectly as he deserved, would she even give the drawing to him? He would definitely think it was poisoned with ricin or something. That just made her _want_ to poison it.

There was something about him that drew her in. Maybe it was because they were completely separate people. Opposites attract and all that lovey dovey, happy sappy shit. He was just so special.

Not that despair wasn't equally as special; if anything he and despair went hand-in-hand. She was Ultimate Despair and he was Ultimate Hope. One couldn't exist without the other. She wasn't sure about him, but she felt like she wouldn't _bother_ existing if he weren't around.

She uncrossed her legs and paced in her room. It was nice to call it a room and not a cell, as it had been the few weeks she's been trapped so very close to Makoto, as if to entice her to break out. Her room was sparsely decorated; other than an extensive wardrobe she'd gained through theft of the other rooms, she didn't feel the need to personalise anything. Well, there was one thing.

She walked to her desk. In the right desk drawer, was a monocoin. Not just any monocoin; this was the very first monocoin Makoto had used in the School Store on his first day. She pulled the drawer open and unwrapped the cloth around the coin that protected it from gathering dust. Whenever she held the small gold coin, she found it helped her to visualise his face more clearly for her musings. For her fantasies. Unfortunately for her, this was the only thing she owned that Makoto had touched or held. She wasn't one to pick up strands of hair or dirty tissues; she was a creepy psycho, and she knew that, but she wasn't _that_ much of a creepy psycho. Momentos were something you could look at and think of something pleasant, in her opinion. The particular moment she was thinking of when she held the coin was the very second his cute little face lifted off the table in that classroom. When he just thought he'd passed out on his first day of school. When he was so blissfully unaware that he'd be forced to watch his friends murder each other due to a lack of the very hope he embodied. Ahhhh, good times.

She covered up the coin and placed it gently back in the drawer. She had to get some inspiration for her next drawing. She hopped on the balls of her feet. Would it have killed them to give her a carpet? The stone floor was freezing! Maybe that should be her next change to her room. A nice, flashy carpet to take the attention away from all the stolen clothes. She was distracting herself too easily now. Not that the crying outside wasn't already distracting enough. Wait. Crying?

Junko placed her eye in the crack in the door. That dumbass Kamakura had tried his hardest to make them soundproof for privacy reasons. Leaving the door open means that doesn't work, moron. That's why she always left her door ajar. Even the Detective slut worked that out before. Speaking of, Junko could see Kyoko (the whore who stole her man) and the gamer bitch. The gamer was crying and whining about some bullshit. Probably not important. Then again, she had nothing better to do. She sat, back against the wall, with an ear directly facing out the door.

'Mine and Izuru's children?' Not Haribo or Jalapeno or whatever his name was? She thought she was the only one who referred to him by alter ego's name. And they were running out of food? Oh Kamakura, you stupid piece of shit. This wouldn't have happened if you'd just stopped the other guy's emotions getting to you. You could've had all those little sprogs to run around here for a few years and then just set sail for greener pastures when the world starts to recover. But no. You let... Hajime? Yeah that was his name! You let Hajime use his compassion to make you feel sorry for the kids who were getting brutally murdered on her command. Oh, _boo hoo,_ Mr Red Eye. Did someone feel bad for the kids being surrounded by an angry mob? Fucking baby.

' **No.** I shouldn't think that way anymore. Despair isn't all I know now. Makoto wouldn't approve of me thinking like this.'

Oh, now this was an interesting development. A husband, weak and weary from a long day's work, comes home to find his sobbing wife in the embrace of another woman. How will he react? Oh, not in a very entertaining way, apparently. He just took her back to their room without a word. Maybe the slutty sleuth is more of a dominating figure than a submissive. She wasn't sure whether to envy her or Makoto in that regard. Then again, he hadn't seemed to like it when he was tied up for his execution before.

She was getting off topic again. She'd just learned some juicy stuff, whether they wanted her to or not. She slowly pulled her door open and peered into the massive living space. No one in sight. Perfect. This would make it a lot easier to enact her new plan. It was so new, in fact, that she was still thinking of a way to make everyone see it when they woke up. The pool table was a good choice, though you'd need a good angle to see. The entirely blank wall that stretched end to end opposite the wall with the TV and consoles? Yeah. That'd work. Now she just needed some paint.

 **Hey hey people. You'll see Junko's plan come into fruition next chapter; I think Junko having a good memory would definitely come under her true talent as Ultimate Analyst, no? Next chapter will hopefully take the same short amount of time to write that this one took. I've recently found a random surge of motivation to write so I'm definitely going to keep them coming. Thank you for the new reviews and follows; it really does mean so much to me that people care enough about this to remember it for more than 5 minutes. Bye bye!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi. If I do an ellipses, it just means some time has passed between paragraphs. I'll be doing that and the '[]' transition from now on to make it a bit easier to read. I don't really have much to say other than: enjoy!**

Hiro stirred a lot in his sleep. Witnessing the executions at Hope's Peak was definitely something that would stay with him in the form of nightmares. Occasionally, he'd have a dream that forced him awake. He stared up at the ceiling, breathing heavily as he tried to forget the realistic sensation of being shot in the chest as Taka had. He threw his legs onto the floor and rested his elbows on his knees. Milk was supposed to help with sleep, right? He'd just warm up some of the powdered stuff in the microwave and sleep like a rock.

He pulled his door open gently. He didn't even know why; it wasn't as if anyone would hear it if he was loud with all that foam in the walls. The enormous suspended light in the living room was always on thanks to the generator, so he could fetch his drink without the need of a flashlight. He stopped and regarded the TV. Something on the screen had caught his eye. He walked closer, stopping at the couch and leaning over it slightly. ''Uhhh, what the hell is that?'' He waved to his reflection. Definitely not a weird horror movie somebody left on. He spun around to confirm and yelled out. There, across the back wall in blood red letters, was the phrase: '' _ **IZURU LIVES.''**_

His breathing hitched. Wasn't Izuru the creepy robot sounding dude? Did that mean he'd become sentient? Was he going to turn him into an android too? No way was he going full 'Kill all Humans', man! He abandoned his milk plan and ran to the nearest bedroom. He pounded the door, asking desperately for a reply. The door swung inwards, revealing Hina in her night robe.

''What are you, crazy?!'' She said in a hushed yell. ''People are trying to- hey!'' He didn't let her finish, scrambling inside and slamming the door shut behind him. Hina pouted in annoyance. ''Okay, what is it? I know you're a scaredy-cat but you're not usually _this_ bad.'' She rolled her eyes as she gave his quivering form a quick look up and down. ''He's going to turn us into robots, dude!'' Hiro finally explained. Well, it wasn't much of an explanation at all, really.

Hina stared blankly. ''R _iiiiiiii_ ght. Who's 'he?''' She air quoted. ''Izuru! The robot!'' Hina cocked a brow. ''You mean Hajime?'' Hiro seized her by her shoulders. ''No, Izuru! His evil clone or whatever!'' Hina sighed exaggeratedly. ''Hiro, Hajime is Izuru. They're two minds in the same body, like Toko and Genocide Jack. Yeah?'' Hiro didn't respond. Hina sighed again, this time louder.

''Look, where is this even coming from? It wasn't one of your fortunes, was it?'' Hiro looked offended. ''No! My fortunes are accurate!'' ''So you're saying you're making this up?'' Hina looked down her nose at him, now considering kicking him out. ''It's out there, I swear!'' He opened the door slightly. ''You're saying if I go out there, there will be proof that Hajime is trying to turn us into cyborgs or robots or whatever.'' Hiro nodded. Hina huffed, tightened her robe and peeled the door back.

…

''Hiro, there's no one here.'' Aoi said as she stood a few feet outside her door. Again, she gained no response. ''Hiro?'' She looked back to see her door shut. ''Oh, you dick!'' She slammed on the door. ''Hiro, you better let me in or I'm kicking your butt as soon as you step outside! And d-don't go through my stuff!'' She deflated. Outsmarted by Hiro. A new low. She turned away from her door and saw a red glint on the far wall. ''Oh god!''

She understood what Hiro meant now. That couldn't be blood… could it? She swallowed hard. Maybe she'd better try a Hiro tactic. She ran to Makoto's door and knocked. With each passing second her knocks became quicker and more frantic. The door opened. ''Please don't tell me you've picked 5:43am as the perfect time to attempt to seduce him.'' Kyoko hid her hands inside her nightgown, not wanting to display her scars. Aoi thumbed behind her. ''You need to see this.''

…

''Well, it certainly _smells_ like paint.'' Kyoko sniffed the wall. ''I'd touch it but I'd prefer not to ruin my gloves.'' She stood and brushed off her lap. ''It's not even warm.'' Makoto said as he swiped his index finger along the bottom of the first 'U' in 'Izuru.' ''So it's definitely not blood?'' Hiro asked from his position behind the couch on the other side of the room. ''Unless someone here bleeds art supplies, no.'' Kyoko quipped as she glared at the scrawlings. ''Who did this?'' Hina queried. ''I suppose we'll just have to ask.'' Makoto declared as he wiped the paint on his finger off on a tissue. ''Okay! Let's get everyone awake!'' Hina psyched herself up.

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''We can rule out Ibuki and Gundham at least.'' Peko said as the two classes gathered on and around the 3 couches near the TV. ''And Chiaki says she didn't feel Hajime get out of bed at any point.'' Fuyuhiko said from beside her. ''He's got every super power you can imagine, dude. You really freaking think he couldn't handle slipping away without waking her up?'' Hiro remained skeptic of the Prodigy despite his protests of innocence. ''W-Wow, that idiot really th-thought of that.'' Toko bit her thumb as she sat on the very edge of the couch she shared with Byakuya, Makoto and Kyoko. ''I am 99% sure it's Junko.'' Makoto stared at the Fashionista who sat across from him. She beamed at the accusation, as if to invite extra pressure. Mahiru, who sat next to her, scowled at the blonde. ''Izuru was perfectly capable of writing that as a warning, wouldn't you think?'' The ex-Mastermind tilted her head to direct the comment at Hajime, who stood behind Chiaki. ''I… I really didn't- *sigh* I don't know. I don't share his memories.'' Junko burst into laughter. ''Nice defence, you're _really_ convincing us.'' Hajime looked away, aghast.

''You did have a motive, Hajime.'' The Detective announced. The brunet looked stunned. ''What? What do you mean?'' Kyoko raised her brows. Hajime's eyes widened in shock. ''Please, what happened yesterday doesn't-'' ''What happened yesterday?'' Hina looked around, seeing faces only as openly clueless as was. ''They need to know, Hajime.'' Makoto said without his usual confidence. Hajime gave him an odd look. ''Kyoko told me last night.'' His girlfriend nodded in agreement. ''We already knew regardless. Or at least we had a hunch.'' Byakuya tutted. ''Just spit it out already; sitting in these chairs is excruciating on my back.''

The young couple revealed all to their friends: Izuru's intent to leave them all for dead bar Chiaki, his plans to breed her, Hiyoko's conception and the slowly declining food stores. Chiaki couldn't bring herself to look anywhere but Hiyoko's sleeping face.

''Holy fucking shit…'' Fuyuhiko thought aloud. The classes were stunned into silence for about a minute. ''So I-Izuru might have d-done that to intimidate Kyoko into keeping quiet?'' Toko looked around nervously. Hajime looked distraught. ''With all that context, it would seem that Izuru _did_ do this,'' Makoto began. ''But I want to believe that Hajime has him under better control than that.'' He smiled at the conflicted young man, though Hajime was visibly too trapped in his own head to reply.

''Listen, maybe we can work around this?'' Mahiru suggested pensively. ''Like mental conditioning or something, or to only let Izuru come out on a trigger word or something?'' Byakuya chuckled. ''The only one with the kind of knowledge to do that would be the man in question. And we're certainly not going to let him play therapist for himself.''

''Wouldn't the Academy have the labs and notes from experts on stuff like that? Like Ultimate Therapists? Couldn't we use that to help him'' Chiaki said to no one in particular. ''You mean like an Ultimate Neurologist?'' Junko asked. ''They had one of those?'' Hiro asked quizzically. Junko proceeded to laugh so hard she had to grip her sides. After 15 seconds of awkward looks while waiting for her to stop, Junko cleared her throat. '''Had' would be correct. I murdered him long before the bombs dropped.'' Chiaki's expression of disappointment was unparalleled. ''But did you destroy his research and data?'' Kyoko questioned. Junko held her chin in thought. ''Y'know, come to think of it, I didn't. They should still be in the Academy. I never moved any equipment or anything in any of the buildings around the campus.''

Hina clapped her hands. ''Okay! So we just have to find that stuff?'' ''Easier said than done.'' Byakuya interjected. ''The campus is enormous and many of the buildings were ransacked.'' Chiaki bounced in her seat. ''We have to try though, for Hajime.'' ''F-For Hajime.'' Mahiru echoed. Fuyuhiko stood and rounded the couch to slam his hand onto his taller friend's shoulder. ''Hear that fuckface, we're helping you out here. Just settle down and let us do shit for you for once.'' The group resolve had strengthened. They had shifted from unease at Izuru's phantom movements to a renewed want to help Hajime remove his alter ego.

Junko snorted. Several heads spun to face her. ''Okay, I was going to wait a while longer for this but the moment seems so perfect.'' No one retorted. ''Makoto was right. I did that.'' She said as she flicked her left pigtail in the direction of the smudge marks on the wall that once formed the words. Every head turned to her in anger and frustration. Junko stood and bowed. ''Don't you think it was good to get all of that info out there though? No secrets or anything?'' She said with a heap of sadistic sarcasm.

''You fuckin' _bitch_!'' Fuyuhiko began stomping towards her but was halted by Hajime's inhuman strength. ''Don't. This would've come out sooner or later.'' Fuyuhiko was clearly still trembling with rage but chose to sit back down. ''Of course I would've preferred to tell you all myself. However I'm thankful that we had this discussion.'' He smiled for the first time since he exited his room. ''Because now we know we can fix me.'' He reached over the back of the couch and stoked Chiaki's hair. ''And in terms of Hiyoko, we've come to accept this. '' Chiaki nodded in accordance. ''So please, don't think we don't want Hiyoko purely because of how she was conceived. We love her. Unconditionally.'' A warm, home-y feeling washed over them; a nice, familial feeling.

''Right.'' Hajime stood and placed his hands on his hips. ''Myself and whoever would like to come will head for Hope's Peak at noon. For now, we should all go back to bed and try to make up the sleep we lost.'' He craned his neck to glare at Junko, who simply grinned maniacally in return. ''I would not be smiling at all. You realise this means we have to lock your door at night again.'' Peko remained emotionless as ever, though some of her master's shared frustrations seemed to leak out in her tone. Junko feigned shock as she slammed her palms against her cheeks. ''Okay then.'' Chiaki stood, carefully as to avoid waking Hiyoko, who had managed to fall asleep again. The Gamer very deliberately avoided walking past Junko. The Despair seemed genuinely offended, to Makoto's surprise.

…

''Alright people, you best be ready for a whole load of walking.'' Hajime threw an enormous backpack over his shoulders. ''I'm not taking the car or the bus because of the wall around the city centre.'' He pulled out a map from the pouch on the backpack, rustling the tent he had rolled up and clasped down tightly there too. ''I hope we aren't going to try and squeeze all of that gear through the hatch.'' Kyoko referred to the large bags full of essentials that would go on each of their backs. Even Junko had one. The expedition group consisted of Makoto, Kyoko, Junko, Mahiru, Chiaki, Gundham and Hajime. Hajime had stocked their backpacks with basic travel necessities like fresh water, high-protein and starchy foods, bandages and sterilising fluid, waterproof coats and, most importantly, gas masks. ''No, we'll be using the other entrance. It's a direct route along the old subway lines. It's usually clear and has a lot of exits in case something does happen.''

Gundham scoffed. ''And for what reason is this demon accompanying us?'' He side-eyed Junko, who remained emotionally vacant as she checked her nails. ''She has an ever better memory of the school than even we do,'' Chiaki began. ''And she claims she placed traps around to keep outsiders away while the Killing Game was happening. So we need her to avoid those.'' The Breeder had been brought up to speed with what had occurred in the early hours but was still wary of the threat Junko posed to them.

Hajime glanced at his wristwatch. ''15 minutes til we leave. Say your goodbyes and use the toilet if you haven't already. Not many clean places in an abandoned subway to go, as you might expect.''

…

Makoto wandered over to Hina and Hiro, who both sat in the kitchen observing the leaving party anxiously. ''You two okay?'' Hiro twiddled his thumbs as he met his eyes. ''Don't you think it's weird that he wanted to mess with his head so willingly?'' The Lucky Student bobbed his head. ''I do.'' He looked at Hajime over his shoulder. ''In fact, I'm very suspicious of his motives. Or, more accurately, Izuru's motives.'' Hina gasped. ''You think Izuru's in control right now?'' Makoto held a finger over his lips but let it drop. ''If he is, he'll have heard everything we just said. Not much point in trying to be quiet now.''

A few seconds passed contemplative silence. Then Makoto shook himself out of his thoughts and circled the countertop to give both of his friends farewell hugs. ''Look after each other. And Hina?'' The girl perked up. ''You and Peko are the strongest here now. If anything happens when we're gone, you and she are going to need to protect everyone. Can you handle that?'' Aoi fumbled over her words. ''Never mind. I know you can.'' Makoto smiled brilliantly at her. The Swimmer turned bright red but made herself face him. ''I'll do my best! For you! And for everyone!'' She wrapped her arms around him again. They both chuckled nervously as they pulled away from each other. ''See you later guys!'' Makoto waved as he wandered to the couches.

''How's your back?'' He asked Byakuya, who sat with pillows behind him. ''As many wonders as that medicine worked, sitting like this is still unpleasant.'' He didn't turn to face him. Makoto took a seat next to him and leaned far forward with his hands clasped together between his legs. ''You have people to rely on here, y'know. People who would gladly take some time to help you get around.'' They both looked to the couch opposite where Kyoko was speaking to Toko.

''She would die for you, Byakuya.'' The Heir grimaced. ''I would never ask for that. I never asked for someone so… Toko-like to begin with.'' Makoto laughed softly. ''Admit it; she's growing on you.'' Byakuya smirked. ''I'll admit I treated her poorly before. And for little reason. Now she actually takes the time to bathe and look and act respectful, she's not a bad entertainer.'' The two boys looked at each other with equal parts respect and admiration. Makoto stood and made to head off but was stopped by The Affluent Progeny. ''Makoto.'' He offered the shorter boy a handshake. The Luckster gratefully took him up on it. ''Good luck. And try not to do anything stupid like you'd normally do?'' He stated with a breath of humour. ''I'll be sure to grab some nice reading material from the Archives.'' Makoto said as he walked back to Hajime. The Heir couldn't help but smile at that.

…

Ibuki had never felt so popular. It seemed as if everybody wanted to say goodbye to her. Then again, she was going to be 'Auntie Ibuki' while Hiyoko's parents were away. Mahiru was first to rush over while Hajime and Chiaki were telling Peko and Fuyuhiko some last minute stuff. The Photographer threw her arms around her and held her tightly. ''I'll be gone a while, Hajime thinks in a few days maybe. Keep our room clean please. And keep Hiyoko safe.'' Ibuki laughed. ''Ibuki is smart enough for that.'' She said as she pushed the redhead off her a little so she could breathe through this death grip. ''Why are you going anyway?'' She inquired. ''Hajime said he needed me to capture and document everything. So if we need to go back we'll have a route ready.'' Ibuki giggled. She closed in on Mahiru's ear. ''And who are you to say no to Hajime~?'' Mahiru pushed Ibuki away, cheeks burning. ''Of course you had to do that.'' Mahiru's lips twisted upwards to form a sly look. ''You just got done with Gundham after all.'' The Musician howled in delight. ''You just burned me! And it was good!'' ''Not exactly the reaction I was expecting but I'll take it.'' Mahiru allowed herself to smile. ''I'll talk to you soon, Ibuki.'' She said as she wandered off.

''Hey hey.'' Chiaki spoke softly. Hajime stood just behind her. ''Hey, lovebirds.'' Ibuki said before leaning forward to pull funny faces at Hiyoko in Chiaki's cradling arms. ''Thank you for doing this. I don't really want Peko to be doing this when she's trying to look after herself right now.'' Ibuki scoffed. ''It's no problemo, Hajimemo! Hiyoko's my little buddy anyway.'' She crossed her arms and tried her best to appear smug. Chiaki took advantage of how her arms were positioned to begin handing her baby over.

Ibuki cradled the baby nervously. ''Just relax. She won't bite.'' Chiaki advised as she mimed the optimal method. Ibuki replicated it. ''See,'' Chiaki began softly stroking her child's head. ''You're a natural.'' She bent down and kissed Hiyoko's forehead. ''Mama loves you. I'll be back quicker than I can set a high score.'' She rose back up. ''Thanks again, Ibuki.'' She gave her a quick side hug before heading back to the table with all their gear. Hajime stepped forward and held out a pinky to Hiyoko, who gripped it loosely with both of her tiny hands. He looked down with a warm smile. Ibuki studied it closely. It was definitely the look of a proud dad. Hiyoko closed her eyes and her grip slackened. Hajime slowly lowered his finger so that her little hands could rest on her tummy. ''Thank you, Ibuki. And good job with Gundham.'' He ruffled the Rocker's hair and turned away.

Gundham cleared his throat from behind her. As quietly as he could, of course. He'd seen Hiyoko in her arms. ''Hello again.'' ''Hi, Gun-Gun.'' The imposing boy was covering his face with his scarf. ''I thought I would at least bid my farewells to you.'' Ibuki smiled. ''And my Devas are meditating in your chambers. They will not bother you while you care for the child, I assure you. Though they will require sustenance 3 times a day.'' He shuffled his feet nervously. ''Hey, lower your scarf for a sec.'' Gundham complied. Ibuki stood on her tip-toes and pecked his cheek. ''Be careful.'' Gundham fought the urge to turn away in embarrassment. ''Do not fear for my life. I am a sorcerer most powerful, my love.'' ''Love?!'' Ibuki squealed. She cursed her loud mouth as Hiyoko stirred. ''Sorry, buddy. Shhh, shhhh…'' When she looked up, Gundham had retreated to the others. ''You love me…?''

…

''Okay, are we _all_ ready?'' Hajime asked in the store room. A unanimous affirmation. ''Okay, follow me.'' Hajime peeled back a wall panel that led down a dark hallway. He turned on his body torch and led the group down. He came to a large, firmly bolted door. ''Prepare yourselves.'' He slid the bolt. And then opened the door.

 **Thanks for reading. The gang are off on their trip back to Hope's Peak. There'll be a lot more of an 'apocalypse' feel to these next few chapters. I know a lot of people were probably waiting for shit to hit the fan, so there we go. I'm going to go back and edit my old chapters. Re-reading the older chapters made me realise how poorly spaced out my work is. And I'll probably find loads of story inconsistencies too, which is awful of me. Anyway, thanks again. New chapter will be coming soon.**


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